What Is the Smalltown Boy AI Trend? The Screaming Pet Dance, Explained
October 25, 2026
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The Smalltown Boy AI trend is an October 2026 video format in which one character grabs its head and screams into a wide lens while another dances behind it, then both dance side by side to Bronski Beat’s 1984 song “Smalltown Boy” and rush the camera. Most versions star cats.
Key takeaways
- The song is Bronski Beat’s “Smalltown Boy” from May 1984.
- The format copies a clip at a red wooden fence.
- AI cat versions spread from 2 and 8 October 2026.
- On Yuppop you join with one photo of your pet or yourself.
What is the Smalltown Boy AI trend?
It is a short, absurd dance reel shot like a phone video on a wide lens. One character stands close to the lens, grabs its head with both hands and screams while a second one dances behind. In the cat versions the two then trade places on a hard cut, dance side by side with their paws up, and finish by rushing the camera together. The scream, the dance and the song are what make a video part of the trend, not the background.
What song does it use?
“Smalltown Boy” is the debut single by Bronski Beat, a synth-pop track released in May 1984 and sung by Jimmy Somerville. It reached number three in the UK and became an LGBTQ+ classic. In the trend the scream lands on the chorus, which is a big part of why the format works: the hook gives the dramatic moment its cue. For the sound itself, see the sound guide.
Where did the trend come from?
The 2026 version copies a clip filmed with a wide lens in front of a red wooden fence; a repost on 6 October had about 484,000 plays four days later. AI creators recast it with cats: @fluffyfishlover posted a ginger cat and a tuxedo cat at the fence on 2 October, and @zefosik posted two cats in a white living room on 8 October, which reached about 597,000 plays within two days.
What is the timeline?
- May 1984: the song is released.
- June 2024: the parents-dancing challenge.
- 2 October 2026: the red fence cat version.
- 8 October 2026: the living room cat version.
What happens in the video?
- The scream. Close to a wide lens, the first character grabs its head with both hands and screams while the other dances behind it.
- The dance. Both dance side by side in 1980s style, with big arm moves and bounces.
- The low shot. The camera drops to the ground and looks up at them against the sky.
- The lunge. They rush the lens together with hands out, so the last frames blur on purpose.
In many cat posts the two animals also swap places on a hard cut between the scream and the dance, which turns the clip into a small show about who is the bigger drama queen. The Yuppop generator follows the four shots above from your single photo.
How can you make your own?
Read the beat guide, check the photo rules and open the Smalltown Boy AI generator. Upload one photo of your pet or yourself and the AI builds your version of the scream, dance and lunge.
Posting notes
Use pets you own or people who agreed, and keep the platform’s AI label on. If the pet is not yours, ask the owner first.
This guide is an independent explainer. Yuppop is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Bronski Beat, their label or any social platform. Make your own take with the Smalltown Boy AI video generator.
FAQ
What song is the Smalltown Boy trend?
“Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat, the band’s debut single released in May 1984 and sung by Jimmy Somerville. It reached number three on the UK singles chart.
What is the Smalltown Boy cats trend?
A viral AI format from October 2026 where one cat grabs its head and screams into a wide lens while another dances behind it, then both dance side by side and rush the camera.
Who started it?
The format copies a clip shot with a wide lens at a red wooden fence. AI cat versions by @fluffyfishlover (2 October 2026) and @zefosik (8 October) made it big.
Does it need cats?
No. Cats star in most versions, but the Yuppop generator takes one photo of your pet or of yourself.
Was the song on TikTok before?
Yes. In June 2024 it soundtracked a challenge where people filmed their parents dancing in 1980s style.