R&B singer and actress Brandy took to the New York City subway recently, belting out songs at the top of her lungs--and apparently not being recognized by a single soul. In a video uploaded to Youtube yesterday, the 36 year-old entertainer catches the 1 train while disguised in sunglasses and a plain grey hoodie. She then proceeds to make her way to the middle of a crowded car and sings The Wiz classic "Home." Not only was she not recognized by anyone in the moment, but her performance apparently elicited nothing but stone-faced silence from other commuters.
New York locals might not be surprised--the live in the five boroughs is to be bombarded with buskers, street performers and acrobatic subway dancers on a near-daily basis, but for fans of Brandy's powerful talent, to see absolutely no one acknowledge her is quite sobering. Midway through the video, the singer turns to the camera and opines "I just gave that my all, and nobody said nothing...Nobody on the train responded, and I feel very... emotional right now."
Brandy posted the video on her personal blog, where she described more of her experience as a recently-arrived New Yorker. "I've hung out in Central Park, Times Square, ridden the bus, and I've gotten accustomed to taking the subway too. I feel like a real New Yorker. I'm learning the streets and everything, y'all!" Apparently, she's also learning that no matter who you are, (even if you're Erykah Badu), New Yorkers are an apathetic bunch.
