Meet NYC's Favorite Katy Perry-Singing Motorcyclist

LOWER MANHATTAN, NY — A weekday commute turned into instant internet celebrity for a man on a cherry-red motorcycle who belted Katy Perry's "Firework" as New Yorkers cheered and filmed.

TikTok video that shows Anthony Medlin, 32, riding his new Harley-Davidson down Soho's Spring Street has since amassed nearly 6 million views, surprising no one as much as the star himself.

"I said, 'Wow, people are really liking this,'" Medlin said. "And I'm just being myself, I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary."

@roight_choice Got caught filming in the background of @Barbara Lemos viral tiktok of this NYC icon & knew I had to post my videos because the internet needs more of this human being 💛 can we please find out who this is? 🙌 #fyp #foryoupage #newyork #newyorkcity #nyc #newyorker #manhattan #soho #sohonyc #katyperry #mileycyrus ♬ original sound - paulinero91

Medlin, a Bed-Stuy native, told Patch he was on his way to work at the Triple A when he broke out into Perry's hit single from 2010.

The New Jersey resident wasn't seeking out celebrity, just enjoying a beautiful day and relaxing on the motorcycle he loves.

"It's really relaxing — I use it for my personal therapy," Medlin said. "Obviously, any time I look at the weather and it's at least 65 degrees, I'm riding."

Medlin often blasts music when he's out and about, and enjoys a wide variety of music, depending on his mood. Sometimes the mood calls for gospel, other times straight jazz.

“I don’t like that hip hop stuff, like, shoot-em-up, bang, bang," Medlin said. "I was never into that."

But, on the fateful day, Medlin was in the mood for one of his favorite songs from a favorite artist, a coincidence that still surprises him.

"I was so amazed when it happened," Medlin said of the viral video. "On this specific day, people were out here with cameras, and this is what I was listening to."

This isn't the first time Medlin's vocal prowess has earned him TikTok celebrity.

A video of Medlin from April listening to "A Thousand Miles" also got hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.

@whatisnewyorkofficial Here for this ‘White Chicks’ moment 😂 #whatisnewyork #fyp #foryoupage #nyclife #iloveny #whitechicks #vanessacarlton #1000miles ♬ original sound - WhatIsNewYork

Medlin always hoped to be a famous actor or voice-over artist, but he never thought riding through the city would earn him the celebrity he used to dream of. That's why Medlin has finally decided to create his own TikTok.

“I want to do it on my own so I can be more in control of what’s going on in the videos," Medlin said. But he added there's just one problem.

"That’s kind of hard with the motorcycle; I would need somebody else coming through with a car."

Medlin likely won't have trouble finding volunteers as the videos continue to circulate online and viewers share their support.

The majority of the comments are about his positive vibes, something Medlin told Patch he's all about.

“We have a lot of bad things going on in the world right now, and I never thought me just listening to my music would have such an impact on people," Medlin said.

"But it really did and that opened my eyes to say — one person can actually make a difference on a large number of people with the energy they bring."

There is the occasional negative comment — "One guy commented, 'I thought that was Shaq,'” Medlin said — but he tries to find the positive.

“I wrote a comment back, 'I get that all the time.'”

Should you like to connect with Medlin, the Brooklyn native tries to respond to everyone who comments.

"People take their personal time to watch this video and comment," he said. "So I do take things like that into consideration and always try to respond back.”

And next time you're walking through Lower Manhattan, keep an ear out for blasting pop tunes and an eye out for Medlin riding through on his Harley and sharing his mood with the crowds around him.

"I’m a happy person," Medlin said. "So anything I can do to change the energy and do it in a respectful way — I try my hardest to do that."