I am almost 40 and completely star struck!

[Michiru]

There is a band in the US who are increasingly getting attention and gaining in popularity. Not traditional pop music, but they do a lot of pop covers - say, using string instruments to cover well-known and well-loved, contemporary music. They're not small fry; we're talking well over 1.5 million followers, national concerts etc.

Well, after falling in love with their music, there was one person who stood out to me a lot, and, being artistic, I started making artwork of him and tagging him in my finished works on social media. He responds every time, in the most enthusiastic manner, and has recently started talking to me via private messages, too.

I'm an almost 40-year-old woman and while he is close-ish to my age, I am completely chuffed every time he talks to me, every time he responds and honestly, he couldn't me more kind or enthusiastic about my work, which is by no means professional standard. I know he's just a normal person who poops like all of us, but, my god, the man is lovely.

I'm basking in the glory of his attention. Has anyone else ever been completely star struck?

Is he single? If so, best of luck to you! Stranger things have happened!!

Single, but more gay than bi, and unlikely to ever meet me in person!

This feels like a Hallmark movie waiting to happen... 😁

I once heard a voice right behind me when I was sitting on the ground at a festival, thought, "oh I know that voice". Sounded vaguely familiar and from my neck of the woods. Turned my head expecting to see someone I knew. David FUCKING Bowie. Had I not been sitting, I would have fallen over. Couldn't get up my legs stopped working.

Don’t want to burst your bubble but please be careful. There are other threads on here of people being befriended by famous people / influencers and ending up loosing money as they were fake accounts.

Thank you, but this is a verified account

Do you mean PMJ?

That's amazing! What did you think afterwards? Did you regret not talking to him or were you relieved you didn't?

What's PMJ?

Postmodern Jukebox. They and Vitamin String Quartet are the groups that sprang to mind

It's quite likely that they have someone managing their social media and that's who's responding to you.

i would have cried. David
Bowie. A real 100% god. I am still a bit stunned he is no longer here.

I know they manage their own accounts, still - there is loads of footage and other evidence of this. The entire band and very limited other staff (mostly friends/ family) manage the whole production.

Relieved I didn't. I used to hang around with a lot of (much less famous than Bowie) celebs when I was younger and watch people come up and say the same few phrases. Trying to think of something witty and cool but not gushing and silly would have been too hard.

Looking around and looking back was about as cool as I could be.

Just to be clear, this won't turn into anything. But I am astonished that I can still get excited like this. I thought at my age the whole groupie thing had well and truly died down 😂

Ah, I hadn't heard of them. No, they're not actually playing string music, but the concept is similar.

It must have got old for you and them. What were those phrases, just so I don't make the same mistake?

Though I've re-imagined that man a LOT, so we've always had something to laugh about.

Not to piss on your parade but 1.5m followers very much is “small fry” in todays world. It doesn’t matter as you are delighted to be in touch with someone you admire…but they aren’t as big as you think they are so it’s not that unusual that they’d be responding to and conversing with fans. the fact that the production is managed solely by family and friends too.

Yes, that's why I know it's unlikely we'll ever meet. I can't see them going international, though they're talented enough to deserve an international stage. And it's very unlikely I'll ever get to go to the US to attend a concert.

But they're gaining an audience, and fast, since a few social media giants are now featuring them in some prominent stuff. So here's to hoping raises a glass

It must have got old for you and them. What were those phrases, just so I don't make the same mistake?

I loved you in...
Your song... changed my life
OMG you must get stopped all the time
Can I take a selfie?
And similar.

Also, all the touching. Don't touch people without permission. Famous people get touched all the time.

I spent a fun evening once going round a gig venue with someone who was HUGE at the time. A really big film had just come out with him. Everyone said, "I loved you in Titanic" (disclaimer; it wasn't Titanic). Everyone. Every 2 minutes. He was so nice about it but it was very annoying for me, one night, not even him.

That's good though isn't it! Fewer other groupies to fight with for attention

Also, all the touching. Don't touch people without permission. Famous people get touched all the time.

Eww another one to add to the list of why I could never be famous. That would really bother me.

But, like I said, it's unlikely I'd ever get close enough to get that opportunity anyway. There's a whole ocean in the way.

I wonder whether super-stardom will soon have had its day. There are so many hugely talented people out there and mass social media have made it incredibly easy to spread that talent now. People who, for lack of money or connection, would never normally have had the chance to be seen are getting attention from followers around the globe.

I follow a number of accounts related to the arts. Many are way more talented than the current superstars out there.

I love this! Enjoy your excitement. You’re never too old for fun in your life.

Enjoy your interactions! I can imagine how thrilling that is. 🥰

I had Zammo from Grange Hill reply to one of my tweets once and I felt like I'd hit the big time! 😂