Boy Throb: From TikTok to signing with Kesha — and fighting for a US visa
Boy band Boy Throb, whose member from India is waiting for a US visa, has become a TikTok phenomenon and signed with Kesha's record label.
At a recent concert at New York's Irving Plaza, hundreds of fans screamed as Boy Throb took the stage, but singer Darshan Magdum was not physically present — he joined via Zoom from India while his US visa application remained pending. His face was projected on a large screen, and he told the crowd he was sad not to be there. The audience responded with chants of "Visa! Visa! Visa!"
Boy Throb formed last fall, choosing their name from fan suggestions and documenting their rise on TikTok. The group consists of Evan Papier, Anthony Key, and Zachary Sobania from Los Angeles, along with Magdum, who is stuck in India. They wear matching pink sweatsuits reminiscent of Amy Poehler's "cool mom" character in Mean Girls. Magdum submitted his O-1 visa application, designated for people with extraordinary abilities, in December. One of the band's first goals was to reach one million followers to support his application.
In early videos, Boy Throb sang covers of familiar pop hits with rewritten lyrics persuading the US government to approve Magdum's visa. They even protested outside a local TV station in Los Angeles, chanting about their "Indian bro." Within a month, they had a million TikTok followers. When video of their first gig at a nursing home surfaced, some commenters questioned whether it was all a gag. The band responded that they had received unkind messages asking if they were "satire," but they were earnestly trying to make it as artists.
Papier and Key have both auditioned for American Idol, while Sobania studied guitar and music production at Berklee College of Music. Magdum already had a following for his falsetto covers of PinkPantheress and Lady Gaga songs. By the night of their July 2026 New York show, they had released original songs including "Can't Stop the Throb," "Number One Boy," and "DJ Turn It Down" featuring Kesha. The pop star signed Boy Throb to her independent label Kesha Records and brought them on stage at the Bonnaroo music festival in June.
The band called their three-stop tour the "Rehearsal Tour," treating it as a practice run before Magdum joins them. At the show, fans could buy signature pink sweatsuits for $119 and T-shirts reading "Not Satire" and "Boy Throb Is Real." While some on Reddit theorized that comedian Nathan Fielder is behind the group, others dismissed this. Fans at the show said it hardly matters whether there is a more elaborate comedy bit. "Either way, it's a good cause. Get Darshan his visa," said Rose, 26.
In March, Boy Throb shared that the government had requested more information to support Magdum's application. The letter stated that "begging for press solely to improve an immigration beneficiary request is not indicative of an organization or an establishment that has a distinguished reputation." Later, they connected with Pennsylvania immigration lawyer Jonathan Grode, who submitted additional paperwork. "This case really caught my attention because they knew they had people with talent, they had people with an idea, but they let the fame come before the recognition of the ability," Grode said.
The Irving Plaza show revealed the band's growing confidence as performers. The choreography was spirited, vocals strong, and playful props and pop-ins from Magdum added to the fun. Fans praised their progress. "They've always been genuine. It's more just convincing other people that they're genuine," said Hannah, 26. The packed venue cheered through covers and originals, and the band ended with an unreleased song, playfully swinging bath towels. One casual fan, Eric, said, "It was very infectious and fun. I am fully on board." After the show, the merch table was nearly cleaned out, with both "Boy Throb Is Real" and "Not Satire" shirts sold out.
