Natasha Bedingfield is giving credit where it's due after meeting up with the creators of TikTok's #unwrittenchallenge, featuring her 2004 hit song "Unwritten."
"So much fun this week learning the #yhop #unwritten dance! And By “learning “ I mean messing it up ???? but that’s what the song’s about," the British singer wrote in an Instagram post.
The challenge was created by a dancer named "Rony Boyy" in March and has since gone viral on TikTok.
For the last two months, the #unwrittenchallenge has been performed by users of all ages, backgrounds and gender identities. Occasionally, the trend will be done in the flash-mob style fashion that Rony Boyy and his crew did in a video at Orlando's Universal Studios, which garnered over 40 million views.
@rony_boyy We had everyone lit ???? after ‼️ ( Dc me ) with the crew ???? ##fyp
##ronyboyy
##trending
##AirPodsJUMP
##hiphop
##viral
@jimmyhits Had to hit this one. ???????? ##feeltherainonyourskin
##feeltherain
##unwrittenchallenge
Even dancers from across the pond in London couldn't resist trying the challenge at one of the city's tube stations.
When Bedingfield joined in on the fun a few weeks ago, she hinted at having one of the original dancers teach her how to properly nail the challenge along with her appreciation for the song's revival.
"The essence of Unwritten is about how wonderful, unexpected things can happen at any moment, and these tik tok dances I keep seeing recently couldn’t be more wonderful and unexpected!" she wrote on her Instagram.
"It’s a real joy to attempt to keep up (even if I make a fool of myself!). I’m working my way up to the badass moves that @rony_boyy first did to the @thereal_esco.upp sound. It looks impressive but really complex. Maybe one of the OG dancers in these amazing videos can teach it to me, or I might need @derekhough to help me learn it! Thanks to all for this beautiful surprise. It’s all Unwritten.????????♥️???????????????? @daniellebrisebois and #waynerodriguez did you ever picture this scene the day we wrote this ?" she continued.
People have attempted to pull out their best moves for the challenge, reviving the early 2000s hit.
@drjsanders
@karamobrown These hoes have seen me dance so much they are unfazed by me. ???????????? ????????♂️ ##Fab5
##unwritten
##unwrittenchallenge @tanfrance @jvn_official
@walmartworld New website. Link in Bio ##unwrittenchallenge
##feeltherain
##trending
##walmart
One user was attempting to do the challenge before being interrupted by an off-camera incident.
@jmurrayy5 I was just trying to do the dance???? @busyb5 ##fyp
##ShadowAndBone
##viral
##fail
##unwrittenchallenge
##husband
##couple
##dancefails
The 39-year-old revealed in an interview that singer India Arie was the one who alerted her of the challenge.
“I got a text from India Arie. She was one of the ones who was saying, 'Look at what people are saying and how they’re dancing to your song," the "Pocketful of Sunshine" singer told Vice.
She also added that the resurgence brought back feelings of nostalgia.
"It made me think about the people who raised me musically,” she continued. “I grew up in this amazing church with a huge Black community, so for me, that’s where my roots are.”
The 17-year-old song has now infiltrated a new generation of listeners and dancers alike, and Bedingfield is more than ecstatic about it making a comeback, which she feels gives the track new life.
“I was so excited to see this new response to my song and also a reinterpretation of it — and something that made it feel extra alive,” she said.
