CULTURE

The Stranger Things Kids and James Corden Performed a Motown Medley

Did you know they were almost a musical group?

by Elizabeth Logan

The cast of Stranger Things performs in a sketch with James Corden
Terence Patrick/CBS

Do the kids from Stranger Things not need to sleep every night like regular kids or like, what’s the deal there? Their seemingly endless supply of both energy and talent is truly awe-inspiring, especially since not only can the quartet of boys who make up the Hawkins Middle AV Club—Finn Wolfhard as Mike, Gaten Matarazzo as my son Dustin, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, and Noah Schnapp as Will—act, but they can also carry a tune and even bust out a few moves. On Wednesday, November 8, the group stopped by The Late Late Show With James Corden to sing a medley of Motown hits, and it was “actually” more of a reunion than anything else.

A Behind the Music–style video explains that before they were actors, the boys and Corden (their classmate; he was held back in school) were in a musical singing group called The Upside Downs together. In fact, it was being spotted by a Netflix exec while they were onstage that led to them being cast in Stranger Things. Except for Corden, sadly, who came this close to playing Eleven. Basically, it was the classic The Be Sharps episode of The Simpsons.

But no matter. On Wednesday night, the band reunited on Corden’s show to sing all the hits, like The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” The Temptations’ “My Girl,” and The Four Tops’ “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Matarazzo is especially impressive vocally, and it’s no surprise; he got his real life start on Broadway. Check out the spirited medley of songs that came out long before the kids were born, below:

Might we request a more thematically appropriate ’80s medley next time The Upside Downs perform? The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” figures prominently in both seasons, and the Ghostbusters theme is a certified bop.

Related: Finn Wolfhard’s Right to Be a Child Is Defended By Shannon Purser and Sophie Turner

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