A Brevard County man is going viral for turning a car lot into a stage.
Andrew Hiers, a classically trained opera singer, has unexpectedly found national attention by blending his powerful vocals with his day job selling cars in Cocoa.
When his professional opera work slowed, Hiers took a sales position at Boniface Hiers Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Cocoa less than three months ago, never imagining the role would launch him into viral fame.
Although he shares the same last name as owner A.J. Hiers, the two were unfamiliar with each other prior to this and are not aware of any familial connection at this time.
While learning the car business, Hiers realized he needed a creative way to generate his own leads. “I asked myself, ‘How am I going to get people to notice?’ So I picked a popular high note and went with it.”
Hiers began posting short videos on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, belting out famous operatic arias with rewritten lyrics about Corvettes, Dodge Rams, Jeep Wagoneers and other vehicles on the lot.
The viral moment snowballed rapidly. A screen recording of one of his videos made the rounds on social media, eventually landing on X.
From there, NPR and local television stations took notice. Coverage soon followed from The Washington Post and CBS, propelling the Cocoa car salesman onto the national stage.
Hiers’ musical background runs deep. Born and raised in West Palm Beach, he began singing at a young age in church choirs, performing solos and learning to read music in middle school.
He fell in love with musical theater before being encouraged toward opera in high school because of his vocal range. He later studied voice performance at Florida State University and earned his master’s degree at Binghamton University.
While singing in Europe, at age 30, Hiers was diagnosed with cancer and returned to Florida for treatment. He has resided in Brevard County since 2020.
The sudden media attention has been overwhelming, Hiers told FLORIDA TODAY, but deeply affirming.
“People keep asking if I expected this, and I didn’t,” Hiers said. “I’m floored. It’s given me hope that people are still turned on by my singing and that I can perform again.”
As for the dealership, Hiers says the company is fully supportive. “They’re loving the attention,” he said. “My bosses have faith that this will turn into sales.”
Hiers already has at least one upcoming performance lined up, singing at the sold-out Florida Automobile Dealers Association Hall of Fame Gala, with future concerts to be announced on his social media.
Despite the spotlight, Hiers says authenticity remains central to both his performances and his sales approach at the dealership. “I’m genuinely myself,” he said. “I speak with confidence, and I’m also trying to make people a fair deal.”
Amber Olesen is FLORIDA TODAY’s food and dining reporter. Reach her at aolesen@floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard singer goes viral after turning Cocoa car lot into a stage
Reporting by Amber Olesen, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
