Numa Numa

The "Numa Numa" meme stands as one of the internet's most foundational viral videos, representing a pivotal moment in early digital culture when user-generated content could transform an ordinary person into a global phenomenon. The meme centers on a webcam video featuring Gary Brolsma, an 18-year-old from Saddle Brook, New Jersey, who recorded himself enthusiastically lip-syncing and dancing to "Dragostea Din Tei," a 2003 Eurodance hit by the Moldovan pop trio O-Zone (Wikipedia Contributors, 2024).

The video's creation was spontaneous and unplanned. Brolsma uploaded the video, titled "Numa Numa Dance," to Newgrounds on December 6, 2004, under the username Gman250, without anticipating the massive attention it would generate (Wikipedia Contributors, 2024). The meme's name derives from English speakers' mishearing of the Romanian lyrics "nu mă, nu mă iei" as "Numa Numa," which translates to "you don't want, don't want to take me" (Know Your Meme, 2009).

The video's appeal lay in its authentic, unpolished nature. Brolsma's expressive gestures, genuine enthusiasm, and homemade quality created a sense of personal connection that resonated with viewers across different platforms and communities. As Consequence magazine noted, "The video builds in the same way that water comes to a boil: no movement, a few ripples, and then a sudden obliteration of matter — a solid man becoming pure, dancing air" (Consequence, 2023).

The meme's impact was immediate and unprecedented for the pre-YouTube era. By February 2005, less than three months after its release, the video had received over 160 million views on Newgrounds alone (Wikitubia, 2025). According to a BBC report from November 2006, "Numa Numa Dance" became the second most-watched viral video of all time, with an estimated 700 million views, surpassed only by "Star Wars Kid" (Wikipedia Contributors, 2024).

The phenomenon extended beyond simple viewership numbers. The video appeared on over 80 different websites and garnered mainstream media coverage from CNN, ABC's Good Morning America, NBC's The Tonight Show, and VH1's Best Week Ever (Internet Archive, 2004). VH1 ranked it number one on their list of 40 Greatest Internet Superstars, while Channel 4 in the United Kingdom named it the 41st greatest funny moment in their 2006 broadcast (Wikipedia Contributors, 2024).

The meme's success also brought renewed attention to O-Zone's original song. "Dragostea Din Tei" had already achieved significant European chart success, reaching number one in multiple countries during 2003 and 2004, but the Numa Numa video introduced the song to American audiences who primarily knew it through Brolsma's interpretation (O-Zone Wikipedia, 2024).

Initially, Brolsma struggled with his sudden internet celebrity status. The New York Times reported in February 2005 that he had become "an unwilling and embarrassed Web celebrity," canceling media appearances due to the overwhelming attention (Wikipedia Contributors, 2024). However, by 2006, he had embraced his viral fame, creating a professionally produced sequel titled "New Numa" or "Numa Numa 2" (Know Your Meme, 2009).

The "Numa Numa" meme's cultural significance extends beyond its immediate popularity. It represents a foundational moment in internet history, demonstrating how user-generated content could achieve global reach and cultural impact in the pre-social media era. The video exemplified the participatory, DIY ethic that would come to define internet culture, proving that authenticity and genuine expression could resonate more powerfully than professional production values.