Twenty-five cents. That’s what the jukebox used to cost. Now, you just yell at a smart speaker. But regardless of how you trigger the track, that opening acoustic strum is unmistakable. You know the one. It’s soulful. It's a bit gritty. It feels like 1993 in a bottle. If you’ve ever found yourself screaming "And I try!" at the top of your lungs in a car with the windows down, you’ve participated in a global rite of passage. But for some reason, people still get tripped up on the details.
Who sings What's Up? It is the definitive hit by the American rock band 4 Non Blondes.
Linda Perry. That’s the voice. That’s the powerhouse behind the curtain. She didn't just sing it; she wrote the thing while she was basically just hanging out in her hallway. It’s a song about existential dread, sure, but it’s also a masterclass in vocal dynamics. Perry’s voice goes from a vulnerable whisper to a glass-shattering belt in roughly four minutes.
Most people actually think the song is called "What's Going On" because, well, that's what the chorus says. But Marvin Gaye already had that title locked down. So, "What's Up" it became. Even though those specific words never actually appear in the lyrics. Weird, right?
Why Everyone Thinks Someone Else Sang It
Music history is messy.
If you search for the track today, you’ll see it attributed to a dozen different people in weird YouTube mashups or mislabeled Napster files—if you're old enough to remember those. A common mistake is thinking Melissa Etheridge or Cher sang it. Honestly, it makes sense. They all have that raspy, contralto-adjacent power that dominated the early 90s. But no, it was Perry.
The band itself was a bit of an anomaly in the San Francisco scene. They weren't "grunge" in the Seattle sense, but they weren't polished pop either. They occupied this strange, colorful middle ground. They wore big hats. They had goggles. They looked like they belonged in a steampunk novel before that was even a mainstream term.
The Linda Perry Factor
Linda Perry wasn't just a flash in the pan. After the band broke up—which happened pretty quickly because Perry felt the label was pushing them toward a sound that wasn't "them"—she became a gargantuan force in the industry. Think about Pink’s "Get the Party Started." Perry wrote that. Christina Aguilera’s "Beautiful"? Also Perry.
She has this uncanny ability to tap into raw human emotion and package it for the radio. But "What's Up" remains her calling card. It’s the song that paid for the house, the studio, and probably a few hats.
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The recording of the track is legendary for its simplicity. They tried to overproduce it. The label wanted it to sound "big." Perry hated the initial polished version so much she convinced the band to re-record it in a more stripped-down style. That raw energy is exactly why it’s still played at every karaoke bar from Des Moines to Dubai.
The He-Man Phenomenon (The Meme That Won't Die)
You cannot talk about who sings What's Up without talking about a muscular cartoon character in a pink vest.
In 2005, an animation collective called Slackcircus took a high-energy dance cover of the song (originally by a group called DJ Miko) and synced it to clips from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The result was "HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA." It was absurd. It was colorful. It went viral before "going viral" was a formalized marketing metric.
Because of that video, an entire generation of Gen Z and younger Millennials discovered the song not through the radio, but through a meme. This created a weird secondary layer of confusion. People started looking for the "He-Man song," only to find a gritty 90s rock anthem.
The contrast is hilarious.
On one hand, you have a serious song about a person trying to figure out their place in a confusing world. On the other, you have Prince Adam singing it while sparkling. Surprisingly, Linda Perry has been a pretty good sport about the whole thing. When your song becomes a permanent part of the internet's DNA, you don't complain.
Breaking Down the Lyrics: What’s Actually Happening?
"Twenty-five years and my life is still / Trying to get up that great big hill of hope."
That line hits differently when you’re actually twenty-five. Or thirty-five. Or fifty. Perry wrote it when she was struggling, living in a cramped apartment, and feeling the weight of a world that didn't quite make sense. It’s a protest song, but a personal one.
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There is a sense of collective frustration in the lyrics.
- The "institution" mentioned isn't necessarily a building.
- It's the "brotherhood of man"—or the lack thereof.
- It's the feeling of screaming into a void and hoping someone screams back.
Musically, it’s built on just three chords: G, Am, and C. That’s it. Most of the greatest songs in history are built on three chords and the truth. If you can play a G major, you can play "What's Up." But you probably can't sing it like Linda. Her range is massive. She hits these incredibly high notes with a chest-voice resonance that is incredibly difficult to replicate without sounding like a dying seagull.
The 4 Non Blondes Legacy
The band only released one album: Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (1992).
It’s a solid record, but it was completely eclipsed by the success of its second single. When you have a hit that big, it becomes a shadow. The rest of the band members—Shaunna Hall, Christa Hillhouse, and Wanda Day (later replaced by Dawn Richardson)—were talented musicians, but the gravitational pull of Perry’s persona and that specific song was too strong.
They dissolved in 1994.
Wanda Day's story is the tragic part of the narrative. She was the original drummer and a founding member, but she was let go before the album was finished due to drug struggles. She passed away in 1997. It’s a sobering reminder that behind the upbeat, "Hey-ey-ey" chorus, there was a lot of real-world pain in that band's orbit.
Famous Covers and Reinterpretations
Because the song is a vocal powerhouse, everyone wants a crack at it.
- Lady Gaga: She performed a stunning version on her Enigma tour. It’s theatrical, as you’d expect, but she treats the source material with a lot of respect.
- P!nk: Given her close working relationship with Perry, P!nk’s live covers feel almost like an endorsement.
- Dolly Parton: In 2023, Dolly covered it for her Rockstar album, even featuring Linda Perry herself. Hearing Dolly sing those lyrics adds a whole new layer of "hill of hope" wisdom to the track.
Every time a new artist covers it, the search volume for "who sings What's Up" spikes. People hear the melody and recognize it instantly, but the name "4 Non Blondes" often stays just out of reach in their memory.
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How to Tell the Original from the Imitators
If you’re trying to identify the version you’re hearing, listen for the "vocal fry."
Linda Perry has a very specific way of breaking her voice at the end of phrases. It’s not a mistake; it’s stylistic. If the version sounds too clean, too "pop," or has a heavy dance beat, it’s likely a cover. The original 1992 recording has a warmth to it—you can hear the room. You can hear the pick hitting the strings.
It’s also important to note the tempo. The original is a mid-tempo crawl. It’s not a dance track. If you’re at a wedding and people are jumping up and down to it, it’s probably a remix.
Why the Song Still Dominates Search Results
We live in an era of "vibes."
"What's Up" is the ultimate vibe. It fits into "90s nostalgia" playlists, "female empowerment" lists, and "best karaoke songs" articles. It bridges the gap between different demographics. Your dad likes it because it’s a rock song. Your younger sister likes it because of the memes. You like it because it’s objectively a banger.
From an SEO perspective, the query "who sings What's Up" is perennial. It never goes away because the song is part of the cultural furniture. It's playing in grocery stores, in movies, and in the background of TikToks.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Lovers
If you want to dig deeper than just knowing the name of the band, here is how you can truly appreciate the "What's Up" legacy:
- Listen to the full album: Bigger, Better, Faster, More! has some hidden gems like "Spaceman" and "Morphine & Chocolate" that show the band had way more range than just one hit.
- Watch the live acoustic sessions: Search for Linda Perry’s solo acoustic performances of the song from the late 90s. The raw power she brings without a full band behind her is staggering.
- Check the credits: Look at your favorite pop songs from the last 20 years. You’ll be shocked at how many times Linda Perry’s name pops up in the songwriting credits. She’s one of the most successful "hidden" architects of modern pop.
- Respect the "Why": The next time you hear it, don't just wait for the "Hey-ey-ey." Listen to the verses. It’s a song about someone trying to keep their head above water. In 2026, that message is just as relevant as it was in 1992.
The song isn't going anywhere. It’s been over thirty years, and we’re still asking what’s going on. Linda Perry and 4 Non Blondes caught lightning in a bottle, and even if people forget the band's name from time to time, they’ll never forget the feeling of that scream. Just remember: it's Perry. It's the Blondes. And it's definitely not He-Man.