TED Talks Daily - "Bridge Over Troubled Water" — like you've never heard it before | MAS Vocal

Episode Date: August 13, 2026

Your life will be divided into two sections: before and after you heard this choir sing, says music maker Jacob Collier. Listen along as the youth choir MAS Vocal gives a stunning performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," with a special arrangement by Collier. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hugh. Most days on this show, a speaker steps onto the stage and presents their work and their big idea in the form of a speech or a conversation. But some ideas don't work like that. Some have to be felt. And for me, there's no better vehicle for that than with music. So today we're bringing you a powerful and necessary idea shared through song. What you're about to hear is a performance.

of the Simon and Garfunkel classic Bridge Over Troubled Water, reimagined in a new arrangement by the musician, composer, and TED guest curator, Jacob Collier. It's performed by the Miami-based youth choir, Moss Vocal. That's coming up right after a short break. And now our TED performance of the day. Are you ready for some magic? Some real magic. Now, music has the power to completely transform a life in an instant. And over the course of my life, I've been lucky enough to hear some pretty extraordinary.

music, but every now and then a moment comes along that alters the trajectory of your life forever. And one such moment for me was the first time I heard this extraordinary choir that are standing here before you. They are unlike anything you've ever heard in your whole life. They are high schoolers. High schoolers. And I can say, yes, and I can say with absolute certainty that from this moment forth, your life will be divided into two sections. that before which you heard this choir sing, and that after. And so without further ado,

singing my arrangement of Bridgeover, River River Water by Simon Garfocal, conducted by Cindy Ellis, please give a very, very warm welcome to the Mass Vocal Choir. That was Moss Vocal and Jacob Collier at TED 2026. If you're curious about Ted's curation, visit ted.com slash curation guidelines. And that's it for today.

Ted Talks Daily is a podcast from TED. episode was produced and edited by our team. Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Lucy Little, Emma Tobner, and Tonzica Sungarnivang. Additional support from Daniela Ballereseo, Christopher Faisi Bogan, Valentina

Bohanini, Ban Ban-Ban-Chang, Brian Green, and Lainey-Lott. Learn more at podcasts.com. I am Elise Hupe. I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feet. Thanks for listening.