Daniel J. Mertzlufft

Daniel J. Mertzlufft is an American composer, arranger, music director, and viral content creator known for his inventive use of musical theatre style in unexpected digital spaces. He gained widespread recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for transforming everyday or humorous social media content into full-blown Broadway-style musical numbers, earning him the nickname “TikTok’s Musical Maestro.”

Mertzlufft studied music composition at SUNY Fredonia and later became active in New York’s musical theatre scene as a composer and orchestrator. He first rose to viral fame in 2020 with “The Grocery Store Musical,” a short TikTok musical parody that turned a mundane shopping trip into a dramatic, fully orchestrated number in the style of a Disney showstopper. His clever orchestrations and theatrical flair quickly caught the attention of millions.

Building on that momentum, Mertzlufft played a key creative role in the development of “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical,” an internet phenomenon that began as a fan-made joke and evolved into a professionally produced virtual benefit concert. Mertzlufft served as arranger and music supervisor for the production, which featured Broadway stars and raised over $2 million for The Actors Fund in early 2021.

His other notable projects include “The Thanksgiving Musical,” “The Inauguration Musical,” and contributions to branded musical content for outlets like The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Mertzlufft has also written original musicals and arrangements for stage and screen, showcasing his versatility as both a traditional composer and a new-media innovator.

With a passion for education and outreach, Mertzlufft frequently collaborates with young artists, shares creative tutorials, and advocates for arts accessibility through digital platforms.

Daniel J. Mertzlufft continues to redefine what musical theatre can be in the digital age, using humor, heart, and high-level craft to connect with new audiences in fresh and unexpected ways.