Original Numa Numa character seated at computer from 2004 viral video with no added text.

Numa Numa

2003videodead

Published March 10, 2026

Also known as: Dragostea din tei · Gary Brolsma dance · O-Zone lip dub

A viral video of a young man lip-syncing and dancing to 'Dragostea Din Tei' while sitting in a chair at his computer.

lip sync memes early internet memes accidental fame memes earworm memes dance memes

Overview

The original clip is a fixed-angle webcam shot of Gary Brolsma seated at a desk in his New Jersey home, singing along to O-Zone's 'Dragostea din tei' with wide arm gestures and exaggerated facial expressions timed to the beat1. Its charm is in the unpolished sincerity: no cuts, no cast, no set, and Brolsma fully committing to the pop song's melodrama3.

Numa Numa quickly worked as a template for imitation. Viewers filmed their own webcam lip dubs of the same track, and the format acted as a shorthand for online exhibitionism years before TikTok dance trends existed3. The song's Romanian title translates loosely as 'Love in the Linden Tree,' and the meme's nickname is pulled from the lyric 'nu mă, nu mă iei,' meaning 'you don't want, don't want to take me' (translated from Romanian)3.

Emerging before YouTube existed, Numa Numa represented an early moment in viral video culture. Brolsma's sincere enthusiasm and lack of self-consciousness made the video endearing and relatable to millions.

Origin & Background

Platform
YouTube
Creator
Gary Brolsma
Date
2004-03-30

Viral video phenomenon featuring Gary Brolsma performing an enthusiastic lip sync and dance routine to the 2004 Moldovan pop song Dragostea din tei by O-Zone. The video became one of the early internet's most iconic viral moments.

How It Spread

The Numa Numa video, posted by Gary Brolsma in December 2004, became one of the first viral video sensations of the internet era. The video showed Brolsma enthusiastically lip-syncing and dancing to a Romanian pop song while sitting at his computer, and the sheer joy and enthusiasm in the performance landed with millions.

The video spread across early online spaces and became a defining moment in viral video history.

Platforms

NewGroundsYouTubeGoogle VideoVarious blogs

Timeline

2004-2005

Becomes one of the first major viral videos

2005-2006

Reaches mainstream awareness, spawns parodies

2006-01-01

Numa Numa reached mainstream popularity and media coverage

2007+

Gradually replaced by newer viral videos

2009-01-01

Numa Numa entered the broader pop culture conversation

December 2004

Gary Brolsma posts original Numa Numa video

View on Google Trends

How to Use This Meme

The video was primarily shared and enjoyed as-is, though it sparked numerous parodies and remixes by other creators.

1

Watch the original Numa Numa video to understand the format

2

Record your own version using the same concept or audio

3

Edit the video with the right timing and effects

4

Share on social media with relevant hashtags

Create Your Own

Cultural Impact

Numa Numa demonstrated that viral videos didn't need production quality or celebrity status to succeed. It showed that genuine emotion and enthusiasm could resonate with millions and influenced the entire community of viral video content.

Fun Facts

One of the earliest viral videos before YouTube's existence

Gary Brolsma became an internet celebrity overnight

The song 'Dragostea Din Tei' gained international recognition through the video

Sparked a moment of lip-sync and dance videos

Brolsma later made public appearances based on his internet fame

The Numa Numa meme has been shared millions of times across social media

You can create your own Numa Numa meme using free tools like Imgflip

Numa Numa first appeared in 2004

The meme is still remixed and adapted by creators

Brands and marketers have used Numa Numa in their campaigns

The meme is still remixed and adapted by creators

Derivatives & Variations

Numerous lip-sync and dance parodies

A variation of Numa Numa

(2004)

Similar enthusiastic performance videos

A variation of Numa Numa

(2004)

Web cam performance trends

A variation of Numa Numa

(2004)

Frequently Asked Questions