A Danish girls' choir met a "completely unexpected" VIP audience member on the sidewalk—Barack Obama—at their latest rehearsal in Copenhagen on Sunday.
A video of the encounter (which was first posted by the choral group UngKlang as an Instagram story) was shared by Reddit user DingoDamp, and it has since gone viral. It had received 132,000 upvotes on Reddit at the time of writing. See the video originally shared on Instagram here.
The caption of the Reddit post said: "Former U.S. 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."
The choir was rehearsing on a balcony opposite Hotel d'Angleterre, where Obama was staying while in town for the 2022 Copenhagen Democracy Summit and other engagements, when the former president stepped out from the hotel's basement.
In a post on Instagram sharing another view of Obama looking up at the balcony, the choir wrote: "Today our rehearsals started out completely unexpected and amazing! We have just started rehearsing for our upcoming projects, after which we hear a little street noise from the balcony. Suddenly, former President Obama steps out of D'Angleterre's basement and catches sight of us." See the Instagram post shared by UngKlang here.
According to the post, looking up at the group in "amazement," the former president said: "Hello, what are you doing?"
When the choir replied: "We're singing," Obama said: "Oh, let me hear," according to the post, which shows him waving to the group and gesturing with his hand to one of his ears.
The choir sang a portion of Hans Christian Andersen's "In Denmark I Was Born," after which a "very impressed" Obama reportedly said: "Wow, that was fantastic" asking the group about who they are and what they do, as per the Instagram post.
Obama wished them a good day before being driven away, according to the choir, who said it took an hour "before we had fallen to the ground again" following the encounter.
On Friday, Obama delivered remarks at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit during a session titled "Democratic Organizing in the Digital Age," discussing the "challenges to democracy around the globe" and "the importance of a positive vision for democracy" as well as how the next generation of leaders can "chart a better course," the Obama Foundation said.
He told attendees at the event, which was dominated by discussions on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's future global role, they will "have to fight" for democracy in an age of political upheaval and looming global crises.
"We will have to nurture it, we will have to demonstrate its value again and again in improving the lives of ordinary people," the former president said.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
Soo ... Read more
