A Canadian woman recently set a new Guinness record for the world’s loudest nose whistle, reproducing the theme song from The Godfather at a whopping 44.1 decibels.

LuLu Lotus discovered she could whistle through her nose when she was about seven years old. She would play pranks on her friends and teachers, and whistle popular songs, but it wasn’t until she saw a Netflix documentary that she decided to put her nose-whistling skills to the test. After watching DJ Steve Aoki’s documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead and seeing the artist get awarded the world record of “Most Travelled Musician in One Year,” LuLu felt inspired to get her name into the Guinness Record Book as well, and what better way to do it than with her unique ability.

Photo: Michael Morgan

The Aurora resident was delighted to learn that Guinness did in fact have a category for the loudest nose whistle, but actually getting her attempt acknowledged by the organization proved a bit of a challenge. She needed to find a special facility and expensive audio-measuring equipment to have her nose whistled measured, but luckily she was able to find a professional audio engineering studio in Mississauga.

The Guinness protocol required three different measurements, and LuLu’s nose whistle reached up to 44.1 decibels, about as loud as some birdcalls. She got the world record by whistling The Godfather theme, but she can whistle pretty much any music, including classics like Beethoven.

Asked how she can produce such a loud whistle through her nose, LuLu Lotus said that she doesn’t know exactly how it happens, but basically, she controls some muscles in her throat. If she keeps her mouth open, the sound comes out through there, but if she closes it, the whistling comes out through her nose.

Interstingly, LuLu had her nose whistle measured in 2021, but only recently got recognized by Guinness, due to the laborious and convoluted record application process. But it was definitely worth the wait, as having her name next to a world record was one of the Canadian woman’s dreams.