Ben Platt viral Diet Pepsi cover explained by Bowen Yang at Las Culturistas Culture Awards

Ben Platt’s orchestral cover of Addison Rae’s Diet Pepsi at the Las Culturistas Culture Awards has gone viral, and co-host Bowen Yang has revealed how the performance came to life.

The ceremony, which aired Aug. 5 on Bravo, featured Platt delivering a dramatic string-backed rendition of Rae’s pop single. Fans were quick to share clips online, with one video on Bravo’s TikTok account surpassing three million views.

Yang told TODAY.com that he and co-host Matt Rogers wanted a moment that reflected recent pop culture. “It feels like Diet Pepsi was this thing we all locked in on as a culture,” Yang explained. Rogers, who first suggested the idea, added that Platt “sings Addison Rae’s Diet Pepsi in the style of an Oscar ballad, and it’s better than you think.”

According to Yang, Platt was enthusiastic from the start. Once he heard the song, he was struck by its emotional potential. At the awards, he performed alongside a live string orchestra, delivering a heartfelt interpretation that highlighted the track’s dramatic key change.

The cover drew widespread praise from fans online, who described it as “emotional,” “surprisingly powerful,” and compared it to Kelly Clarkson’s Kellyoke series. Many called for it to be released officially — and by Aug. 10, Platt confirmed on Instagram that the live version was streaming on Spotify.

Though Diet Pepsi was nominated for Record of the Year at the Culture Awards, it ultimately lost to Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra. Still, Yang emphasized that Platt’s performance was a defining highlight of the night.

The viral cover has since become a cultural talking point, blending internet humor with genuine artistry. As Yang summed up, “He nailed that key change.”