Katy Perry and Madonna duped by coronavirus hoax

Katy Perry speaks to media on March 11, 2020 in Bright, Australia at the Fight On concert
Katy Perry has been duped by pranksters who have edited a video of neighbours on coronavirus lockdown in Naples to make it appear as though they're singing her song. Photo: Getty

The Internet has tricked singers Katy Perry, Madonna and Cheryl into thinking quarantined Italians are singing their songs from their balconies amid the coronavirus panic.

Video of neighbours on coronavirus lockdown in Naples singing football chants to lift each other's spirits went viral over the weekend, but the clip was edited hours later to show them singing songs like 'Roar', 'I Rise' and 'Fight For This Love' instead.

Katy took to Twitter to retweet a post that appeared to show people singing there song 'Roar' from their balconies.

The original poster wrote, "A whole neighbourhood in Italy is singing “Roar” by Katy Perry while they’re on lockdown and self-quarantined. #COVIDー19.”

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Katy then wrote, “You cannot break the human spirit. We are one in this.”

British singer Cheryl was next to be duped by the edited video.

The video was similarly captioned, “A whole neighbourhood in Italy is singing Fight For This Love by Cheryl while they’re on lockdown and self-quarantined. #COVIDー19.”

Believing it was real, Cheryl tweeted, "I'm not crying," along with a crying emoji.

Madonna also shared a clip of the crowd seemingly singing her song 'I Rise', writing, "Let Us All RISE UP. Everywhere around the world!! #irise.”

The singers' followers were quick to point out that they'd been pranked, however, none of them have deleted their posts.

In the original clip, which was shared on Facebook by Susy Unica Silvestri, the people are singing their local football team Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli's song.

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They sing, “People like us will never give up; people like us will never give up; people like us; people like us; people like us will never give up.”

“Come on Italy! Come on Naples! Forever!

“We are all united. Come out on your balconies, out on your balconies! Come out on your balconies, out on your balconies!

“The virus that is facing us will not defeat us … The virus that is facing us will not defeat us!”

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