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The Journal.

The Viral Band Trying to Sing Its Way to a U.S. Visa

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

Business News, Daily News, News

4.25.8K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2026

⏱️ 18 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Boy Throb is a new boy band going viral on social media, but member Darshan Magdum is stuck in India. To get him to the U.S., the band needs to convince the United States government that Darshan qualifies for an "extraordinary ability" visa, the type of thing that’s often reserved for Olympians and scientists. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman explains the visa process and Boy Throb tells Jessica Mendoza about their unconventional quest to get their fourth member stateside. Further Listening: - Are Waymos Driving More Like Humans? - Lady Gaga, Low-Rise Jeans, and the Next Recession Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

There's a new boy band that's going viral on social media.

0:09.6

They're called Boy Throb.

0:11.8

This is Boy Throb.

0:19.0

Boy Throb debuted on TikTok in November.

0:22.3

Their vibe is lighthearted, and the boys are often decked out in a set of pink velour track suits.

0:28.1

Think Insync meets K-pop, but on a smaller budget.

0:33.0

We're the world's next biggest boy band, and we're going to win a Grammy.

0:36.6

There are four members, Evan Papier,

0:39.4

Anthony Key, Zachary Sabania, and Dershan Magdoum.

0:43.9

Evan, Anthony.

0:45.7

I'm Dershan, I'm stuck in India.

0:51.8

This is one thing that really makes the band stand out. While three of the boy throbs dance in sunny

0:57.5

California, the fourth one, Darshan, is pasted into their videos using a green screen. Because he's in Mumbai,

1:06.1

in India. We feel incomplete without Darshan. Our immigration lawyer told us we need one million followers in order for Darshan to be given a visa so he can sing and dance with us on U.S. soil. We'd really love to meet him. Will you help bring him to America by following us? To make their musical dreams come true, the band wants to get Darshan to the U.S., but for that, he needs a visa. And so they started singing about it.

1:30.2

Here's our colleague Michelle Hackman, who covers immigration, and these days, boy bands.

1:35.8

So this video comes out and, like, three people almost instantaneously text me this Instagram

1:43.6

reel, because I guess it's like peak Michelle content.

1:46.6

Like it's really on the nose for me.

1:50.3

And they're singing about the 01 visa, which is like kind of a deep cut visa.

2:00.7

It's not even the one that like most people

2:02.7

know. And it's very accurate. A petition's been submitted and is awaiting its review.

2:08.9

USCIS will adjudicate it 15 business days. Adjudicate means formal judgment. We hope it goes our

...

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