If you're debating the most breathtaking harmonies in rock history, you might consider The Beatles' youthful blend, The Beach Boys' highly orchestrated beauty, or the stacked sweetness of Crosby, Stills & Nash. But if you're lobbying for wall-to-wall, glass-shattering power, there's only one clear winner: Queen, who famously displayed that gift on '70s epics like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Bicycle Race."

Now, in a stunning tribute video, a musician and content creator pays homage to the band's multi-layered, over-the-top vocals.

Jon Smith, leader of the Pennsylvania-based "theatrical rock band" Jon Smith's Voyages, details his approach in a viral Instagram clip titled "How to make your harmonies sound like Queen."

"I have always been fascinated by Queen's bombastic harmonies," he writes in the caption. "Here's a little breakdown of how to achieve a similar harmony style!"

Using a memorably vocal-rich section of 1978's "Don't Stop Me Now," he channels his inner Freddie Mercury to build an operatic web of vocals, piece by piece.

In the video, Smith starts by recording a snippet of lead vocal (in this case, "like an atom bomb about to whoa-oh, whoa-oh, oh-explode!"). He then records that part two additional times to thicken it up. Next, he repeats this triple-take process for two harmony vocals, and then again one octave higher for each harmony, adding a lower-octave line for some bass presence. As he sings each line a cappella, it sounds more than a little goofy. But the full picture emerges when you hear the complete choral-style arrangement at the end.

Naturally, many fans were impressed. Here are some of the best comments:

"Dude how good is your range?? Fantastic! Love seeing things like this and playing around with harmonies!"

"Basically: record an entire choir 😂"

"Ohmygod I freaking LOVE your energy dude, you are like the 2026 version of queen"

"So the answer is I should have 6 octaves vocal range, got it boss👍"

"Unfortunately, I am a baritone"

"This only works if you can sing"

"me 1000 octaves high"

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Queen's complex vocal parts

Replying to one user, Smith noted that the video is not meant to be a literal example of Queen's process. Instead, he described it as "wayyyyy oversimplified," meant to demonstrate how the band often used elaborate layering to achieve those mile-wide harmonies.

Elsewhere, multiple commenters rightly pointed out Queen's democratic approach to studio harmonies. While Mercury was the band's primary lead vocalist, guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor were also crucial in fleshing out the vocal parts.

In a 2002 Queen mini-documentary, May went into fascinating detail about the band's approach:

"That's normally what we'd do: Three of us would sing the line once, double it—in other words, do the same thing again—and then probably triple it, so you have three tracks of us all singing the same line. And only then do you move on to the next part...It sounds like a lot of people singing really, and part of that's good construction, and part of it's luck because our voices blended very well."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The Bee Gees’ flawless harmonies left Johnny Carson speechless in this acoustic performance ›

Superfan's stunning recreation of Beach Boys immaculate harmonies is leaving people in awe ›

Hanson's gorgeous acapella Bee Gees cover shows there's nothing like family harmony ›

In March 2023, after months of preparation and paperwork, Anita Omary arrived in the United States from her native Afghanistan to build a better life. Once she arrived in Connecticut, however, the experience was anything but easy.

“When I first arrived, everything felt so strange—the weather, the environment, the people,” Omary recalled. Omary had not only left behind her extended family and friends in Afghanistan, she left her career managing child protective cases and supporting refugee communities behind as well. Even more challenging, Anita was five months pregnant at the time, and because her husband was unable to obtain a travel visa, she found herself having to navigate a new language, a different culture, and an unfamiliar country entirely on her own.

“I went through a period of deep disappointment and depression, where I wasn’t able to do much for myself,” Omary said.

Then something incredible happened: Omary met a woman who would become her close friend, offering support that would change her experience as a refugee—and ultimately the trajectory of her entire life.

Understanding the journey

Like Anita Omary, tens of thousands of people come to the United States each year seeking safety from war, political violence, religious persecution, and other threats. Yet escaping danger, unfortunately, is only the first challenge. Once here, immigrant and refugee families must deal with the loss of displacement, while at the same time facing language barriers, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes even facing social stigma and anti-immigrant biases.

Welcoming immigrant and refugee neighbors strengthens the nation and benefits everyone—and according to Anita Omary, small, simple acts of human kindness can make the greatest difference in helping them feel safe, valued, and truly at home.

Dee and Omary's son, Osman

Anita Omary was receiving prenatal checkups at a woman’s health center in West Haven when she met Dee, a nurse.

“She immediately recognized that I was new, and that I was struggling,” Omary said. “From that moment on, she became my support system.”

Dee started checking in on Omary throughout her pregnancy, both inside the clinic and out.

“She would call me and ask am I okay, am I eating, am I healthy,” Omary said. “She helped me with things I didn’t even realize I needed, like getting an air conditioner for my small, hot room.”

Soon, Dee was helping Omary apply for jobs and taking her on driving lessons every weekend. With her help, Omary landed a job, passed her road test on the first attempt, and even enrolled at the University of New Haven to pursue her master’s degree. Dee and Omary became like family. After Omary’s son, Osman, was born, Dee spent five days in the hospital at her side, bringing her halal food and brushing her hair in the same way Omary’s mother used to. When Omary’s postpartum pain became too great for her to lift Osman’s car seat, Dee accompanied her to his doctor’s appointments and carried the baby for her.

“Her support truly changed my life,” Omary said. “Her motivation, compassion, and support gave me hope. It gave me a sense of stability and confidence. I didn’t feel alone, because of her.”

More than that, the experience gave Omary a new resolve to help other people.

“That experience has deeply shaped the way I give back,” she said. “I want to be that source of encouragement and support for others that my friend was for me.”

Extending the welcome

Omary and Dee at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Awards ceremony at the University of New Haven.

Omary is now flourishing. She currently works as a career development specialist as she continues her Master’s degree. She also, as a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, helps advocate for refugee and immigrant families by connecting them with resources—and teaches local communities how to best welcome newcomers. “Welcoming new families today has many challenges,” Omary said. “One major barrier is access to English classes. Many newcomers, especially those who have just arrived,........

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