The WhatsApp groups follow a single rule: typing and speaking are prohibited, with immediate removal for violations. Only voice notes that consist of whistling are permitted, and the sender may choose any whistle – an imitation of a bird, a tune such as the Pink Panther theme, or the intro to Scorpions’ “Wind of Change.”
In recent days Brazil has experienced a sudden surge in whistling‑only WhatsApp groups, attracting participants of various ages and professions, including members of Congress. Some groups generate up to 600 voice notes daily, and the most popular performances garner hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok, for example renditions of Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life” or Gorillaz’ “Feel Good Inc.”
New groups appear every day in the world’s second‑largest WhatsApp market; many reach the 1,024‑member cap in under 24 hours, prompting administrators to launch another group and repeat the process. Evaluation of the whistles relies on emojis and stickers, the only short‑text format allowed. A strong whistle can earn a sticker that mirrors the “absolute cinema” meme, but with Martin Scorsese’s face swapped for a toucan or parakeet and the caption “absolute assobio” (the Portuguese word for whistling). A weak whistle is often criticised as having more wind than melody.
Some participants play a karaoke track in the background and whistle the vocal line, while others emit just one or two chirps while doing chores such as washing dishes.
“I saw a video online about existing groups and decided to start one with a few friends for fun,” said Enzo Dias, a business‑administration student who created a group.
“It was intended just for us; a friend invited another, and before we knew it we had over 500 members. The next day we hit the limit and had to create a second group,” added the 18‑year‑old, who launched the first group on 13 April.
The exact origin of the trend is unclear, but the earliest TikTok posts date to mid‑April. Google Trends shows that searches for whistling in Brazil peaked in April.
“We receive so many messages that we have to close the group overnight because we cannot monitor rule‑breaks,” Dias noted regarding the strict ban on typing and speaking.
To deter non‑whistling participants, some groups require at least one whistle per day. Most members are male, though several women‑only groups have begun to appear.
The vast majority of groups are free to join and are shared via social media; a few warn about the digital‑security risks of entering groups with strangers through open links.
“I think most people are just having fun, but a few seem almost addicted to whistling and spend the whole day doing it,” Dias said. His group organises competitions on its Instagram page, where followers vote on voice‑note duels.
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