Bruno Mars shares family joy

Advertisement

Advertise with us

Three days ago, superstar musician Bruno Mars posted a video featuring two girls busting some moves to Uptown Funk on his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts with the caption, “Mom and Daughter swag!”

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/08/2017 (3273 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three days ago, superstar musician Bruno Mars posted a video featuring two girls busting some moves to Uptown Funk on his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts with the caption, “Mom and Daughter swag!”

While the “swag” part is definitely correct, the dancing duo are actually sisters Callahan Wiedenhoft, 16, and Cassandra Armstrong, six. They, along with their mother, Nikki Armstrong, and their 13-year-old brother, Christian Wiedenhoft, drove the four hours to Winnipeg from Fort Frances, Ont., to see Mars perform at Bell MTS Place on Aug. 2.  

The video has already racked up nearly two million views across the three platforms.

BRUNO MARS, INSTAGRAM
Sisters Callahan Wiedenhoft, 16, and Cassandra Armstrong, 6, dance at the concert at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg on Aug. 2.
BRUNO MARS, INSTAGRAM Sisters Callahan Wiedenhoft, 16, and Cassandra Armstrong, 6, dance at the concert at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg on Aug. 2.

Armstrong says she noticed the kids being filmed during the concert with a “big, fancy camera” by a man who was obviously part of Mars’s crew but had no idea what the footage would be used for or if they’d ever see it. 

Then a few days ago, Armstrong was scrolling through one of Mars’s fan pages on social media and discovered the video of her two girls.

“My son and little one were home so we were in shock and screaming and dancing around, and Callahan, I knew she was going to freak out the most. She was out at an island at the time and her friends said she literally did laps around the island,” Armstrong laughs. “She was… oh my God, she was crying and, like, this went on for hours. It was so cute.”

In addition to the sheer volume of views, the response Armstrong and her family have received from the video has been overwhelming. Strangers from all over the world have been reaching out to her on social media, complimenting her on her beautiful family and generally sending positive vibes their way. 

“It’s unbelievable to us how one post can literally change her life. It’s the best gift. We’re never going to forget it. The people who have messaged us through Instagram and through Facebook… I can’t even list all the countries — it’s like we’re bonded with all of these people now, like he’s the glue that bonded us. It is so neat,” she says.

But how does the 16-year-old feel about Mars referring to her as a mom?

“Her words exactly were: ‘I don’t care what Bruno calls me, it’s Bruno Mars, he can call me whatever he wants to,’” Armstrong says, laughing.

“It’s funny because in our family, I’m a single mom of these kids and she is such an old soul, she is little mama, and that’s what we’ve always called her.”

erin.lebar@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @NireRabel

A post shared by Bruno Mars (@brunomars) on

Erin Lebar

Erin Lebar
Manager of audience engagement for news

Erin Lebar spends her time thinking of, and implementing, ways to improve the interaction and connection between the Free Press newsroom and its readership.

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

Luxury and livability

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Preview

Luxury and livability

Todd Lewys 5 minute read Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

Those in the market for a new luxury home tend to be looking for two things.

First, the home must be unique — which is to say it possesses defining design characteristics that set it apart from other homes. Second, while the home must be different, it also must be livable.

Problem is, many home builders get too focused on fashion, which often makes for a visually arresting home that, sadly, isn’t as functional as it could be.

Fortunately, that’s not the case in Maric Homes’ stunning bungalow show home at 2 Woodland Lane in Headingley’s Forest Grove Estates.

Read
Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

Bruno Mars shares family joy

Erin Lebar  3 minute read Preview

Bruno Mars shares family joy

Erin Lebar  3 minute read Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017

Three days ago, superstar musician Bruno Mars posted a video featuring two girls busting some moves to Uptown Funk on his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts with the caption, “Mom and Daughter swag!”

While the “swag” part is definitely correct, the dancing duo are actually sisters Callahan Wiedenhoft, 16, and Cassandra Armstrong, six. They, along with their mother, Nikki Armstrong, and their 13-year-old brother, Christian Wiedenhoft, drove the four hours to Winnipeg from Fort Frances, Ont., to see Mars perform at Bell MTS Place on Aug. 2.  

The video has already racked up nearly two million views across the three platforms.

Armstrong says she noticed the kids being filmed during the concert with a “big, fancy camera” by a man who was obviously part of Mars’s crew but had no idea what the footage would be used for or if they’d ever see it. 

Read
Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017

Jefferson, face of the Bombers defensive line, shares game day routine

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Preview

Jefferson, face of the Bombers defensive line, shares game day routine

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Clearly, Willie Jefferson’s game-day routine works wonders.

The future Hall of Famer is still as dominant as ever at age 35 and is currently tied for the CFL lead with six sacks.

But what does the lead-up to kickoff at Princess Auto Stadium typically look like for the face of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ defence?

The Free Press had a lengthy chat with the defensive end before the bye week to find out.

Read
Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

News briefs for Sunday, August 9, 2026

2 minute read Updated: 12:48 PM CDT

A collection of breaking news briefs filed on Sunday, August 9, 2026

Resident rushed to hospital after Elgin Avenue high-rise fire

12:48 PM

One person was taken to hospital after a fire in a high-rise apartment building on Elgin Avenue early on Sunday.

Livestreamed mental-health meltdown underscores medium’s disturbing decline

Melissa Martin 7 minute read Preview

Livestreamed mental-health meltdown underscores medium’s disturbing decline

Melissa Martin 7 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

On Tuesday evening, a well-known celebrity blogger, best known by the nom de plume Perez Hilton, opened up his TikTok account and began a livestream from his Miami home. What unfolded over the next 30 minutes horrified all who witnessed it — and should force the rest of us to take a very sober look at the ways social media can harm.

Read
Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Champion curler Meleschuk never lost his passion for the game

Joshua Frey-Sam 9 minute read Preview

Champion curler Meleschuk never lost his passion for the game

Joshua Frey-Sam 9 minute read Yesterday at 3:00 AM CDT

At the height of his curling career, Orest Meleschuk balanced ferocity and finesse like almost no one else.

The Winnipeg product was a fierce competitor skilful enough to thread a rock through a window and find the button.

Known as “The Big O,” he curled competitively for over six decades, finding success at the local, provincial, national and global level, and his longevity on the pebble was notable before lengthy careers became the norm.

Meleschuk is still tied with his good friend John Usackis for the most appearances in the Manitoba men’s provincial playdowns, at 30.

Read
Yesterday at 3:00 AM CDT