Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 17
Boy Throb Stages New Jersey Concert for 22-Year-Old Darshan Magdum's U.S. Visa Arrival
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 17

Boy Throb Stages New Jersey Concert for 22-Year-Old Darshan Magdum's U.S. Visa Arrival

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 17

Summary

  • Hundreds of fans packed the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Friday as Boy Throb welcomed Darshan Magdum to his first in-person performance with the group.
  • The 22-year-old Indian citizen had never previously appeared live with his three American bandmates, making his newly secured U.S. visa a central reason for the event dubbed “Darshan Day.”
  • Boy Throb performed “4GETHER,” a song celebrating Magdum’s arrival, with the four members in matching pink velour tracksuits before a crowd of cheering fans known as the Throb Mob.
  • The concert capped a year in which Magdum remained a virtual member while the very online band built social-media traction with goofy pop songs, amateurish dance moves and surreal videos.

Insights

Did a frustrating immigration delay actually manufacture this boy band's massive viral fame?
How did a virtual member performing via Zoom redefine what it means to be a pop star in America?
Will traditional immigration laws adapt to internet fame, or will more viral artists be locked out of the country?