Moo Deng, Viral Baby Pygmy Hippo, Releases ‘Moodeng Moodeng’ Song

Maybe Bowen Yang was onto something when he compared Moo Deng to pop superstar Chappell Roan in a Saturday Night Live sketch earlier this fall. The viral baby pygmy hippo now has an official song titled “Moodeng Moodeng.” Yes, you read that right.

It’s clear Moo Deng is out for world-pop domination with this one. It’s only a 50-second song, but the bouncy track is available in four different languages, including Thai, English, Chinese, and Japanese — not that there are many lyrics to translate. The majority of the song is comprised of “Moodeng moodeng / Deng deng deng” and “Boing boing” repeated over and over again. There is one unsettling moment when a high-pitched voice sings, “Mommy mommy play with me / Please mommy come play with me/ Bounce with me, mom.” At least the lyric video includes a clip of the adorable Moo Deng splashing in the water.

Moo Deng’s musical pursuit was released by popular Thai music company GMM Sauce. Thai composer Mueanphet Ammara produced and wrote the track.

For those unacquainted with Moo Deng’s majesty, the baby pygmy hippo went viral after the Khao Kheow Open Zoo began posting videos of her on their social media platforms. Clips of the tiny hippo slipping around, voraciously chewing grass, and biting at a water hose quickly took over the internet. Soon, Moo Deng became an online lifestyle icon because of her chaotic personality. And now she’s about to raise her star even more. Watch out, Chappell.