Canva Ridiculed For Rap Performance Introducing Redesign, Akin To ‘Hamilton’

Video screenshot via Canva

Rise up, creatives! A new musical act—by Canva, no less—is lassoing its way to your imagination. At its Create event, the Australian creative software giant stunned attendees when a young, scrappy, and hungry bunch took to the stage to launch into a rap performance highlighting new features from its redesign, geared particularly towards enterprise users. The act quickly went viral, drawing a flurry of amused reactions, some less flattering than others.

Widely described as “cringe,” the routine was likened to Microsoft’s infamous 1995 event where Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer awkwardly danced to the Rolling Stones’ Start Me Up.

Others couldn’t help but draw parallels to Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed musical known for its clever use of rap and slant rhymes to narrate founding father Alexander Hamilton’s life story.

This is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s fault pic.twitter.com/5uXCFo0mXG

— gianmarco (@GianmarcoSoresi) May 26, 2024

Canva said 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/KG3qxSJ5PH

— Bout to get the slaves free (@TheQueenMuse1) May 26, 2024

Despite the mixed reactions, some users admit they would remain in the room where it happens and continue to use Canva. “That is a testament to the product,” one jokes.

Cliff Obrecht, Canva’s co-founder, has defended the “enterprise rap,” emphasizing it was intended to be humorous.

In a LinkedIn post, he quips that the performance was his “favorite part of Canva Create.”

“Tech company product launches have essentially tried to be Steve Jobs launching the iPhone since that happened. We decided to be ourselves, do something different, and not take ourselves too seriously,” Obrecht continues. “Haters gonna hate.”

don’t hamilton my canvapic.twitter.com/3ZkAXIRTeE

— nicole is doing her best (@startleseasily) May 26, 2024

While the hip-hop number might not win any Grammy awards, Obrecht says that the video’s viral success—amassing millions of views—means it has achieved its goal.

Somebody actually thought "Discount Hamilton but for tech" was a great idea. Oh, Canva, what have you brought forth? 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/UobbFa8fPV

— Madhu Menon (@madmanweb) May 27, 2024

Adobe ain’t worried anymore

— Kane Vato (@kanevato) May 26, 2024

[via Business Insider, Canberra Times, Pedestrian.tv, cover screenshot via Canva]