BoyThrob: Your New Favourite Boy Band

By Hannah Kent

What?

BoyThrob started as an online boy band project that came together over social media DMs and unsuccessful American Idol auditions. Evan Papier and Anthony Key first linked up after their Idol experiences on American Idol (where they were both rejected), as they both felt that their solo careers had hit a ceiling. Through social media, they discovered Zachary Sobania and Darshan Magdum online and decided to form a group aiming to create a boy band that was weirder and more original than typical industry-made groups. However, while Evan, Anthony, and Zachary live in the USA, Darshan lives 13,000 kilometres away in Maharashtra, India.

Their public start was through a TikTok debut on the 28th of October, 2025, introducing the members, stating two big goals: to get Darshan a U.S. O-1 visa, and then to win a Grammy. The video went viral, and since then, their popularity has only increased. As of recently, they have released two singles and one independently produced music video. They are easily recognised through their matching pink tracksuits, short-cut videos, and most importantly, their fourth member, Darshan, present on a laptop.

Their first show was at a nursing home in Los Angeles, where they covered songs like Hilary Duff’s ‘What Dreams are Made Of’ and ‘Love Yourself’ by Justin Bieber. This is also where they debuted their performance of their single ‘FINGER’. They have also attended the Grammys, invited by their official hair sponsor, Redken, who paid for their tickets and styled their hair. They walked the red carpet with their former manager, Gino The Ghost, and their outfits were styled by Chase Kooprt Smith, a LA-based fashion designer who redesigned their signature pink tracksuits. They have performed the national anthem at the Los Angeles Kings ice hockey game, and as of recently, they performed on Howie Mandell’s podcast ‘Howie Mandell does Studd’ with a live band for the first time. They have performed and appeared beside another boy band, ‘The New Kids on the Block’, at their concert.

The Members

Anthony Key (middle)

Role: Leader, All-Rounder

Fun Fact: His licence plate says ‘POPSTAR.’

Anthony is one of the founding members of the group, helping to shape its concept and early rollout. He’s a singer, dancer, and cosplayer who has already been building his online presence through posting covers and solo releases, including his album, ‘K-E-Y KEY!’. Before starting the band with Evan, he first gained attention on season 19 of American Idol (2021), where he performed BTS’s ‘Dynamite’ but was ultimately eliminated after all the judges voted ‘no’ due to his vocals. Within BoyThrob, however, he is known for his polished vocals and strong stage presence.

Evan Papier (far right)

Role: Main Dancer/Choreographer

Fun Fact: Outside the band, he teaches vocal lessons and is lovingly referred to as the Diva of the band by the other members.

The other founding member, Evan, is known pre-BoyThrob for his piano covers and vocal performances. He similarly released solo music, which included his album, ‘The End of an Era’, and his single ‘Payback’. Similarly to Anthony, he also auditioned for season 19 of American Idol, where he sang Katy Perry’s ‘E.T. ’ However, his interview and performance were never aired. Evan is normally attributed to as the main originator of the group’s concert, saying that he intentionally wants BoyThrob to prove that meme-y online fame can still be based on real singing and songwriting, not just for clout.

Zachary Sobania (far left)

Role: Main Rapper/Instrumentalist

Fun Fact: He is currently two years away from finishing a law degree.

Zachary (Zach) was the first member to be scouted through social media by Evan and Anthony. Before he was known for his guitar-playing skills, a product of his Music Production and Engineering degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston. The band normally refers to him as the ‘actual musician’ of the group. Before joining BoyThrob full-time, he worked as a software developer and interned at a law office, combining coding and music-production skills. In the band, he handles a lot of the instrumental arrangements and often appears as the most technically polished performer in their videos.

Darshan Magdum (bottom left)

Role: Main Vocalist

Fun Fact: At Maroon 5’s Indian concert this year, they recognised Darshan in the crowd for his covers of their songs and invited him up on stage for the next time they’re in India.

Darshan is an Indian singer and social-media creator who, before BoyThro, gained popularity through his covers of English-pop songs on Instagram TikTok as well as releasing some original songs. He is the only member who does not currently live in the United States, and whose entire early narrative has revolved around getting him an O-1 Visa so he can join the others in person. Many of BoyThrob’s TikToks and music videos feature him appearing via Zoom or green-screen, belting high tenor notes.

US Visa Application - What is an O-1 Visa?

The OR1 visa is a non-immigrant, temporary worker visa designed for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement in the sciences, arts, education, business, athletics, or the movie/television industry. It allows these individuals to come work and live in the U.S. Darshan will specifically be going for an O-1B visa, which specifically covers the arts.

Requirements:

Have an extraordinary ability or achievement. Individuals must show a sustained national or international acclaim in their field and be amongst the small percentage at the very top of that field. An O-1B visa focuses more on critical acclaim, leading roles, and major productions rather than specific USCIS criteria (awards, memberships, etc.).

Have a U.S. sponsor and job offer. A U.S. employer, agent, or foreign employer through a U.S. agent must file Form I-129 on the individual's behalf as a petitioner. Darshan cannot self-petition. The form must clearly state and explain why the individual must be coming to the U.S. to work in their area of expertise.

They must have documentation and an advisory opinion. The individual must submit evidence of their extraordinary ability, such as prizes, press coverage, published work, membership in elite groups, high salary, or original contributions. For Darshan, these would be his popular TikTok videos and the press coverage BoyThrob has received.

A written contract or summary of their employment terms must be drafted. This includes an itinerary of where and when they will work, and if their stay includes multiple events and or locations.

The durability and portability must also be approved. The initial approval is usually up to three years, and is extendable in 1-year increments with no fixed maximum time- meaning that Darshan can technically stay in the U.S. forever. However, the visa is employer-specific, meaning that if Darshan changes employers or jobs, he would require a new or amended petition.

Current Update: The U.S. government has requested an RFE (Request For Evidence). While it is not a formal denial, it does mean that the immigration officer needs more evidence and documents before they can approve or deny Darshan’s application. It indicated that the original evidence (media coverage, social media following) wasn’t enough by itself to meet the visa standard, so USCIS wants the band’s immigration lawyer (Dana, who also appears in their videos) to strengthen the case. The band must respond within the deadline by submitting the specific documents and explanations needed. This means that Darshan’s Visa has been further pushed back, meaning that he may possibly not be able to meet with his American boy band until 2027.

The BoyBand performing outside the LA Immigration Office.