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If you have yet to see it, babies are taking over YouTube as their diaper-clad tushies bop to Beyonce’s "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" video. The only difference between these little ones and the dancing baby that Ally McBeal made popular in the ‘90s, is that these are real.
I don't know what’s so catchy about the song, but let's be honest, it's addictive. And it's really addictive with the playdate set. My 4-year-old daughter has me scour the radio, and much to my husband’s dismay, my 8-year-old-son has quite an affinity for the song as well.
Babies and toddlers across the world seem to be hooked on the song about getting hooked. So, I decided to get to the bottom of this international phenomenon and get an expert’s opinion.
Jamile Nogueira, music expert with a master's in music performance and pedagogy, and owner of Music Makers School in South Florida, thinks Beyonce's song hits on all the basics of introducing music to children:
1. High Pitch: Children are drawn to tunes with a higher pitch. Nogueira says, "It's the frequency that appeals to infants and toddlers the most, in the same way that babies are drawn to a mother's voice."
2. High/Low: The shift from high to low (“All the single ladies... all the single ladies”) is of more interest to little ones than a static tune.
3. Repetition: This song is all about repetition and apparently, so are toddlers. Nogueira says, "The easier a song is to learn, through repetition and note patterns, the more it stimulates the brain.”
4. Rhythm: A quick rhythm with pauses gets their heart rates up, their toes tapping, and keeps their minds occupied.
Has this expert done an official study of "Single Ladies"? Umm, no, but if trusting her take means we get to trade Beethoven, the Wiggles, or "The Wheels on the Bus" for Beyonce, I say she’s a genius.
