Danish girls' choir stunned as Barack Obama stops to watch them practice — he then made a special request

A Danish girls’ choir was in for an unforgettable surprise when they caught the attention of Barack Obama during a rehearsal in Copenhagen. The group, practicing on a balcony across from the prestigious Hotel d’Angleterre, couldn’t believe their luck when the former U.S. president stepped out and took notice. The choir, UngKlang, a group of nine women in their twenties, was preparing for upcoming projects when the unexpected moment occurred. They were mid-rehearsal when Obama, in town for the 2022 Copenhagen Democracy Summit, walked out of the hotel basement and spotted the singers. He reportedly looked up with curiosity and greeted them with a simple, “Hello, what are you doing?” Their exchange was documented on the choir's Instagram account @ungklang_.

The surprised singers responded in chorus, “We’re singing!” To this, Obama smiled and said, “Oh, let me hear,” while gesturing with his hand to his ear. Initially unsure whether he was serious, the group hesitated briefly before deciding to perform a portion of Hans Christian Andersen’s “In Denmark I Was Born.” As the song filled the street, Obama listened intently, visibly impressed by their harmonies. When they finished, he applauded and said, “Wow, that was fantastic!” 

According to Newsweek, after listening to their performance, Obama engaged with the choir, asking about their group and what they were working on. The singers, still in disbelief, explained their projects and shared details about their ensemble. They described themselves as an artistic community passionate about classical music. The post was later shared on Reddit. The caption of the Reddit post said, "Former US president Barack Obama came across a choir of Danish girls practicing their singing in their apartment with their balcony doors open. He kindly asked them if they would keep singing for him to enjoy."

As per Daily Mail, a nearby resident, Frederik Kurstein, who lives across from the hotel, witnessed the encounter firsthand. His girlfriend is part of the choir and had been rehearsing on the balcony with the others when it all happened. “I was just sitting on the balcony, and there were so many police around. I knew Obama was staying there, but I didn’t expect this,” he said. Frederik added that the moment was magical. The choir conveyed that it took them an hour "before we had fallen to the ground again."

The encounter spread quickly, with videos and photos shared online gaining attention and admiration. Many who saw the clips described it as a heartwarming moment, calling it a rare and special experience. @rebelttm said, "Y’all sang for the President. That’s pressure unmatched." @sunkissnae praised, "You all sang so beautifully." @nubian__rose commented, "I heard you! You guys sound magical, President Obama was lucky to hear you sing and you were lucky to sing for him too! What a beautiful moment." @mohinisane added, "This is the coolest thing ever. No other rehearsal surprises are going to top this one!" @headandbottomline wrote, "You are famous by now AND you can really actually sing beautifully. Congratulations."

You can follow UngKlang (@ungklang_) on Instagram to see more of their choir performances and updates.