The viral Bohemian Rhapsody flashmob that stopped Paris in its tracks has now been watched by more than 500 million people worldwide. But according to Sunderland singer Mickey Callisto, one surprising detail escaped most viewers — there was no rehearsal at all.
“It was nerve-racking though as there were so many musicians and we didn’t get a chance to rehearse,” Callisto revealed in an after-show interview. “Julien [Cohen], who put the flash mob together, had seen my Britain’s Got Talent audition and asked me if I wanted to get involved. I just had to jump straight in.”
The spectacular performance, staged at the Place de la Contrescarpe in July, featured 30 musicians and later swelled to include 20 opera singers performing from surrounding windows. With Callisto delivering Freddie Mercury’s legendary vocals and 11-year-old guitarist Olly Pearson rocking alongside him, the flashmob created one of the most powerful open-air tributes ever staged to Queen’s iconic anthem.
The official Queen account even shared their seal of approval, commenting: “We absolutely love this.” Callisto, who arrived at the event in a white carriage before launching into the song, said the reaction has been “like scoring a goal at the Stadium of Light.”
Since the video went viral, Callisto has been flooded with messages, offers, and new opportunities. “This video has been huge,” he said. “I mean, Ruth Langsford got in touch and said it made her cry. And I’ve also been asked to do gigs in Singapore and Amsterdam — it’s mental.”
Mickey’s Emotional Reflection
After having time to process the whirlwind, Mickey shared a heartfelt message with fans:
“So, now that I’ve had time to process just how crazy these past couple of days have been, I just want to say to everyone once again, thank you so much. To see the comments, to see the messages from everyone around the world… you don’t know how much it means to me and it’s really taken me back. If I could thank each and every one of you in person, I genuinely would.
And to Julien as well, thank you so much for having me on the project with the Flash Mob. You’ve created a moment for me that I’ll never forget, and hopefully we’ve done that for everyone too.
It’s also 50 years since Bohemian Rhapsody was released, and for me the song is just as present as it’s ever been. Thank you to Queen for giving us such an incredible piece of music, and the biggest thanks goes to Freddie Mercury. First for writing this song, but more importantly for creating something that resonates with the whole world in such a special way. I just wish he could be here to see all the love that he’s still getting.
So thank you, Freddie, and thank you everyone for the support. Now it’s my job to give the same feeling Freddie gave to you.”
Life After the Flashmob
Callisto has also been sharing updates with fans online during what he describes as “one of the most amazing weeks” of his life:
“Thank you so much to ITV News for having me on the show and also everyone’s support. This has honestly been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. I couldn’t watch it live being in Liverpool but got it sent to me. That carriage shook like mad on them cobbles.”
“Been such a busy day! Just done the interview for this evening’s ITV Tyne/Tees and Wear News! I’ve been called worse but I’ll take it 
once again thanks for the support. I’m getting round to replying to comments and messages — it’s been overwhelmingly amazing.”
“Great to speak to BBC Radio this morning about it all.”
From a spontaneous flashmob with zero rehearsal to global recognition and international bookings, Mickey Callisto’s journey proves that sometimes the most magical performances happen when you least expect them.