Two-women band left speechless on stage after realizing everyone in the crowd knows their song

Editor's note: This article was originally published on December 2, 2022. It has since been updated.

Musicians often have to work a lot before they gain popularity around the world. No matter how big they get, one of the most satisfying and emotional moments when performing live as an artist is when the audience knows the song well enough sing along.

This is exactly what happened to the Swiss/German duo "BOY" while performing in New York as they realized their audience actually knew the lyrics of their song. The heartwarming moment was captured on camera and u/KrilinWizz posted it on Reddit with the title, "German Band Overwhelmed When They Learn They Are Somewhat Famous In New York."

In the video clip, the pop duo is seen performing their most famous track, "Little Numbers," at a venue in New York. As the song progresses, the audience catches on and starts singing along with them.

The singer, Valeska Steiner, is visibly stunned to hear the audience recognize their music and steps back from the mic for a moment to absorb this fact before continuing with the performance. Bassist Sonja Glass is also seen beaming with joy over the incredible audience response. Throughout the whole set, the musicians cannot stop smiling and grinning as they were overwhelmed by the unexpectedly positive reaction from an international audience. 

The video has gained almost 5k upvotes since being shared with the r/wholesome community, with several musicians recounting similar experiences of their own. Reddit user, ariblood77, said, "As someone who has played in bands and done a bunch of shows. When the crowd sings along, there's no better feeling. I couldn't imagine showing up in a country you have never been in and having this happen though." Another user, yoloer97, commented, "This is really amazing. She's truly overwhelmed and it's heartwarming."

A Reddit user, texas130ab, added, "Had to look them up because of the humbleness shown. Pretty catchy tune. I have that song on my like list now we need more artists with actual souls to listen to." 

The video was also shared on YouTube by SwissCGNY and according to the description, this performance happened in Union Hall, Brooklyn, on March 2, 2013. A YouTube user commented, "This is so damn adorable, not to mention the song is really good." Another said, "It's cool to see the genuine surprise from these girls, playing in a new country where they didn't think anyone would know who they were. It's that kind of moment that you live for when you write music. That's what passion looks like. Very cool."

According to Interview Magazine, BOY is known for their "reflective, nostalgic folk-pop melodies." Steiner and Glass reportedly met at a music workshop in 2005 and began creating music based on their own experiences.