NEED TO KNOW
- German content creator and model Joel Vieten went viral when a group of New Yorkers crashed his OOTD video
- Viewers loved the wholesome interaction, with one saying it is “what New York is actually about”
- “None of them were planned to join me, nothing was scripted,” Vieten tells PEOPLE
Anything can happen in New York!
When German model and content creator Joel Vieten went to make an outfit of the day video on the city streets, he didn’t expect to be joined by a few guests. In the TikTok shared on Nov. 10, Vieten is seen standing near a crosswalk in New York City to show off his look, consisting of a sweater, shirt and tie, sports coat and jeans.
As he backs up from the camera — while lip synching along to Kanye West’s song “All Fall Down” — two other men appear in the video’s frame and join in on the fun. Seconds later, a third man in a gray coat holding a cell phone up to his ear walks by, acknowledging the camera and mouthing the song’s lyrics.
“Only in nyc people join your videos like this,” Vieten captioned the post.
The video quickly went viral, with many viewers showing appreciation for the wholesome interaction.
“Idk why but this video is so hopecore,” one wrote in the comments.
“I can’t explain it but this just made my whole day and brightened my spirit,” said another.
A third shared, “This is what New York is actually about btw.”
Vieten tells PEOPLE that the moment was truly spontaneous with an assist from his friend, the man in the gray coat.
“I wanted to do this lip sync on the street minutes before I was meeting up with a friend,” he recalls. “I tried it two times but wasn’t happy enough about the results. As I was just starting to try it a third time, I saw my friend arriving on my left (known as the phone guy in that video). He was literally just waiting next to me until I finished my video.”
The creator continues, “Out of nowhere, the two strangers came and joined my video with some good vibes, so my friend decided, if they can, he can, and jumped in the video. So, none of them were planned to join me, nothing was scripted.”
Vieten’s friend later reappeared in another video due to popular demand.
“After I posted [the original video], so many people were talking about the guy with the phone, who’s a close friend of mine,” he tells PEOPLE. “So two days after, I had a coffee with him and I asked him if he wants to do another video (this one was staged, of course). I found it funny to show him again as he was now known as the ‘phone guy’ on my page.”
In the second TikTok, posted on Nov. 15, Vieten and his friend appear in a similar style of video — and even wear the same outfits as the original post.
“Got the phone guy next to me,” he captioned the video.
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Vieten previously worked as a real estate agent and a photographer and videographer for other creators before getting serious about his own content.
“I quit everything after my dad passed away three years ago and I decided to do what I really want do for the rest of my life,” he explains. “Now I really love what I do, creating content with friends, sharing my creative vision with the world and trying to get better and better.”
He hopes to dabble in creative direction and acting next and has begun sharing short films to his Instagram page.
Community is one of the most important aspects of social media for Vieten, highlighted in his viral street style video in which he happily welcomes in strangers without missing a beat.
“I’m German, but I grew up with so many different nationalities, religions and traditions of life, which made me the person I am today,” he explains. “That’s why I focus a lot on showing exactly that in my content.”
For the most part, the reception to his content has been positive. “I love to read my comments,” he says. “My followers are so funny sometimes. There are also some really nice comments out there, which give me love, strength and motivation to go on.”
As for the nay-sayers, Vieten has learned to tune them out.
“Of course, there are also people out there who love to hate on anything, no matter what,” he says. “But I literally don’t care about any hate and just do me.”
The creator hopes to inspire others to put themselves out there, regardless of what the haters might say. “For now, I can just say, don’t even get bothered because of them, don’t reply to any negative comment at all because giving them a platform makes it even worse.”
“I just think I gotta be myself all the time even if they don’t like it, because life is too short,” he reflects.
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