What Is the Raindance AI Trend? The Song, the Scene and Where It Started
The Raindance AI trend puts new people into the 28-second pier scene from Dave and Tems' hit song. Here is where it started and how to make one.
The Seadanse Team13 min readThe team behind Seadanse. We run the models we write about, and we publish the specs, prices and limits the marketing leaves out.
TL;DR — The Raindance AI trend recasts the 28-second pier-to-sunset scene of the official music video for "Raindance" by Dave featuring Tems, and it took off on TikTok and Instagram Reels in late September 2026. People use AI to put themselves and a partner, friend or pet into the scene.
The song is real, not AI: Dave and Tems sing it, it came out on October 24, 2025, and it reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart in January 2026. There's no dance in it. You can make the full 28-second version with the original song from one or two photos on Seadanse, where $9.90 makes one 28-second 720p video with no account.
You open TikTok or Instagram Reels and see the same golden-hour sunset clip again. One person sits quietly at the edge of a wooden walkway over calm water. Another person walks up and sings toward the camera before both sit side by side on the sand.
The comment sections keep asking what the song is, whether the vocals are real or AI, and how to create the video.
Some tutorial creators won't share their steps unless you comment the word "Raindance".
If you search the phrase, you'll often land on a long-running independent film festival instead of the viral clip.
We've looked up the official music release, tracked down the exact 28 seconds, and found the first uploads that kicked off the format.
Here's the story behind the music, the scene shot by shot, where the wave began, and how you can make your own clip.
What the Raindance AI trend is
The Raindance AI trend recreates one 28-second scene from the official "Raindance" music video with new people in it.
In the video, one person sits at the far end of a wooden pier at sunset. A second person approaches along the boardwalk, sings straight to the camera beside the water, and joins the first person on the beach.
These 28 seconds run from 0:52 to 1:20 of the original music video. The sequence features two distinct roles: the person sitting on the pier and the singer by the water. You or anyone else can step into either part.
The AI label means artificial intelligence swaps new faces and bodies into the video. The camera motion, cuts, lighting and lip movements come straight from the original video, while the soundtrack uses the real audio recording.
There's no actual dancing anywhere in the sequence. Raindance is simply the title of the song.
The phrase also belongs to the Raindance Film Festival, which isn't connected to this social media format.
Our Raindance AI sample, made on Seadanse in October 2026 from two pictures of AI-generated adults: 28 seconds, 4:3, 480p, with the original song.
You can make your own version of this sequence with the Raindance AI video generator.
What song is in the Raindance AI trend?
The song in the Raindance AI trend is "Raindance" by British rapper Dave featuring Nigerian singer Tems. It's the song you'll hear under every clip in the viral format.
- Album: The song is track 5 of 10 on Dave's album The Boy Who Played the Harp, running 3 minutes 39 seconds.
- Released: The record came out on October 24, 2025, through Neighbourhood Recordings.
- UK chart: The single reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart on January 23, 2026, marking Dave's fourth chart-topper and Tems' first, and returned to No. 1 on February 6, 2026.
- Music video: The official video debuted on January 9, 2026, on Dave's YouTube channel with creative director Nathan James Tettey, accumulating 278 million views by October 8, 2026.
The AI trend took off 11 months after the song came out and more than eight months after the video.
Is Raindance an AI song? No, Dave and Tems sing it
"Raindance" isn't an AI song. Dave and Tems sing it themselves. Both artists wrote and performed the track in real recording studios.
On the official audio release, the label's credits list both as vocalists and songwriters.
Both appear in the official video footage, and Official Charts published photos of the two with their Official Number 1 Single award after their second week at the top.
Nick Levine of Official Charts noted on January 23, 2026: "For Tems, it's a maiden visit to the summit of the Official Singles Chart."
People ask about the music because the edits blend the new people into the scene so smoothly.
On the viral September 26 upload, one viewer commented, "es real o ia?" ("is it real or AI?"). Another person admitted, "i thought it was the real music video of the song".
The word "AI" in Raindance AI refers only to the video editing effect that swaps the people on screen. The song itself is entirely human and authentic.
Every Raindance AI video made on Seadanse has this original recording under it.
What happens in the 28 seconds of the Raindance AI trend
The Raindance AI trend scene runs 28 seconds and 11 shots, from 0:52 to 1:20 of the official video. You'll see seven moments, split between the pier and the beach.
- The pier: At 0:52, a shot from behind shows one person sitting at the edge of a wooden dock over calm water. The second person appears further back along the walkway.
- By the water: From 0:55 to 1:07, the singer delivers vocal lines directly to the camera in tight framing against a deep blue sea.
- The sand: During a quick cut within that same timeframe, the two people lean close together on the beach.
- The photo: From 1:07 to 1:11, a wide perspective shows the person on the pier leaning forward with a camera to capture a portrait of the singer.
- The long note: From 1:11 to 1:15, the singer stands beside the water, wraps both arms around their chest, and holds a sustained note.
- The sunset: From 1:15 to 1:17, both people sit side by side on the sand, viewed from behind as ocean waves lap at the shore.
- The close-up: From 1:17 to 1:20, the scene wraps up with an intimate close shot of the pair resting together on the beach.
Four frames from our 28-second sample above, in order. Made on Seadanse, October 2026.
Every trend clip keeps a 4:3 frame (four units wide for every three tall, a little wider than a square). The earliest viral TikTok posts measure exactly 960 by 720 pixels.
On Seadanse, you'll find these roles as a Pier box and a Singer box.
Make your own Raindance AI trend video from one or two photos
You can make the Raindance AI trend video on Seadanse's Raindance AI page from one or two photos, with no app and no account. It's all done in your desktop or mobile browser.
- Photos: The page gives you two upload boxes, labeled Pier and Singer. One photo is enough: if you leave a box empty, AI casts a made-up adult for that part. Upload clear photos of one person or pet facing forward from the waist up or full body.
- Consent: Before proceeding, you check a statement that reads, "I have the right to use these photos, and every person in them is 18 or older."
- Resolution: You can make it in 480p, the standard option, or choose 720p. The 28-second length and the 4:3 frame don't change.
- "Create · $9.90": If you aren't signed in, you'll see the notice, "No account needed: pay once and your video starts right here." above a button displaying "Create · $9.90".
- Your video: You'll download a 28-second MP4 with the original music. Your email receipt has a link that saves the video to an account if you want to watch it on other devices.
The Raindance AI generator on Seadanse, signed out, captured October 8, 2026: two photo boxes, 480p or 720p, 28 seconds, 4:3.
The two pictures behind our sample, both of AI-generated adults: one for the Pier and one for the Singer. Full body, facing the camera, good light.
You pay with one-time credit packs. A 720p video needs 500 credits, and a 480p one uses 375.
The $9.90 credit pack (listed as $9.9 on the pricing table) gives you 500 credits. That's one 720p video, or one 480p video with 125 credits left on your profile.
Pack credits stay valid for 12 months, and if a video fails, you get its credits back automatically.
We walk through every step in our step-by-step guide to making the Raindance AI video.
Where the Raindance AI trend started
The Raindance AI trend started on TikTok in the last week of September 2026.
Search data and post dates show how it grew over a few days.
- September 25, 2026: A Portuguese-language TikTok channel uploaded the earliest AI version we found, starring two cats as the couple, earning 105,500 views by October 8, 2026. On the same date, worldwide searches first show up on Google Trends at 3 on its 0-100 scale. By October 7, creators had used that video's uploaded audio clip in 1,010 separate TikTok posts.
- September 26, 2026: A new upload inserted two fresh human subjects into the roles of Dave and Tems alongside the caption "I'm in love with this Dave song". That's the clip that took off fast, gathering 4.9 million views and 967,200 likes by October 8, 2026.
- September 30 to October 6, 2026: Then it turned into a tutorial wave. Out of 290 TikTok posts we collected from September 25 to October 6, 249 were tutorials showing audiences how to produce the video. From September 30, 29 to 46 new posts a day turned up in our sample.
- October 3, 2026: Global search volume for "raindance ai" hit its peak value of 100 on Google Trends' tracker.
Worldwide Google searches for "raindance ai", September 7 to October 7, 2026 (Google Trends, captured October 8, 2026).
Why the Raindance AI trend took off
The Raindance AI trend spread fast across social feeds for two clear reasons. Viewers were drawn in by how real the clips look and by a song they already knew.
- It looks like the real video: The synthetic replacements match the motion and atmosphere of the source footage so closely that audiences mistake them for genuine clips. One viewer commented, "de tantas ya ni se cuál es la original" ("there are so many now, I can't even tell which one is the original"), drawing 23,657 likes, while a viewer on the original cat video pleaded, "I need the name of the song, please".
- People already knew the song: The musical track was already an established mainstream hit across Europe and West Africa. The single held the UK No. 1 spot across two separate weeks, and Dave's official music video had generated 278 million views before the social media trend emerged.
Who people cast in the Raindance AI trend: couples, friends and pets
You'll see partners, friends and animals cast in the Raindance AI trend, in lots of different pairings. Because it's a scene for two, it fits all kinds of relationships.
- Couples: Romantic partners represent the most common subject pairing across social media uploads and online tutorials.
- Best friends: Close companions frequently place themselves side by side on the pier and the beach.
- Pets: Animal portraits continue to populate the trend, following the early viral success of the two cats on the pier.
- Just you: If you've only got one photo, AI pairs you with a made-up adult partner.
You can easily make a Raindance AI video with your pet or your favorite personal portrait.
Raindance AI trend FAQ
People keep asking a few questions about the Raindance AI trend, and you'll find the answers below.
Is there a dance in the Raindance AI trend?
No, the video doesn't have any dance moves. The subjects sit on a wooden boardwalk, stand beside the sea, and watch the ocean at sunset. Raindance is simply the title of the featured song by Dave and Tems.
Is Raindance AI an app?
No, Raindance AI is the name people use for the social media trend. It isn't a standalone app. You don't need to install anything: you can make the clip on Seadanse, or read our guide to the ways to make a Raindance AI video, compared.
When did the Raindance AI trend start?
The earliest AI version we found went up on TikTok on September 25, 2026, and it starred two cats on the pier. The viral human edit that popularized the concept worldwide arrived the following day on September 26, 2026.
How long is a Raindance AI trend video?
Every trend video runs exactly 28 seconds, capturing the sequence between 0:52 and 1:20 of the original music video in a 4:3 frame. The automated tool on Seadanse produces all 28 seconds with the complete original audio track attached.
Can I do the Raindance AI trend with one photo or my pet?
Yes, you can make your video from a single photo on Seadanse. AI casts a made-up adult for the empty part, and both the Pier and Singer slots take clear pet photos.
Where was the Raindance music video filmed?
The official music video was shot on location along the beaches of Lagos, Nigeria.
So, what is the Raindance AI trend?
The Raindance AI trend swaps custom portraits into a scenic 28-second beach clip set to Dave and Tems' chart-topping UK record. It's grown from one viral TikTok upload in late September 2026 into a widespread format for couples, close friends and animal lovers.
You can test your own pictures in the coastal sequence by opening the Raindance AI page on Seadanse.
Written by the Seadanse team. We read the official video credits, the Official Charts announcements and the first trend posts, and made our own 28-second version.
Related articles
- How to Make the Raindance AI Video (No App, No Template) — every step from your photos to the finished 28-second video.
- Raindance AI Video Free? Ways to Make It, Compared — the apps, templates and sites that make it, side by side.
