Oladipo Croons Holiday Hits at Children’s Hospital
by Jimmy Do | okcthunder.comHoliday Assist is presented by Cox Communications
From timeless holiday classics like Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” to the jaunty Spanish standard “Feliz Navidad” of José Feliciano, resident Thunder crooner Victor Oladipo spent Thursday afternoon winning over new listeners by serenading his way into the hearts and ears of young patients at The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center. Adopting the stage moniker ‘Ho-Ho-Ho-ladipo,’ the talented 6-foot-4 guard took the mic to perform holiday favorites with a music therapist inside the closed-circuit broadcast studio of the hospital to reach the boys and girls on extended stays. Although a prepared setlist was in hand, Oladipo fielded several song requests adding a touch of spontaneity to an already gleeful day. Summoning his vocal versatility, Oladipo’s endearing cover of “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” and his soaring rendition of “Let It Go” from the movie Frozen were must-see performances. Check out the Periscope concert here.
“Anybody who knows me knows how much I love kids,” said Oladipo. “I just want to give back to them and show them how much I care, especially around this area.”
After the special surprise in-house concert, Oladipo toured the hallways to personally greet the children and deliver gifts including a batch of one-of-a-kind Thunder-branded headphones to keep the holiday spirit and music going for his young listeners.
Warming up the vocals. Music therapist Emily Menhorn and Oladipo tune up for a brief rehearsal before heading into the studio.
Reaching out with glee. All patients including kids who cannot leave their rooms are able to experience Oladipo's concert with In the Zone TV, a closed-circuit broadcast, inside The Children's Hospital.
Spreading holiday cheer. After the show, Oladipo greets Chris Clayton's (background) son Hunter: "It means the world to us. It shows his character and how outstanding of a player he is on and off the court," said Clayton.
Ho-Ho-Ho-ladipo! Oladipo: “To be able to change people’s lives by simply coming in and doing a good gesture, I wanted to do something special. It’s one of my favorite holidays.”
Watch: Oladipo Goes Caroling at Children's Hospital