For Tamy Stevens and Oswin Benjamin, Wednesday night will forever be etched in their memories. They performed behind rapper and musician Wyclef Jean in the Apollo Theater’s fall 2020 season opener.

"Even in a pandemic, your dreams can come true," said Stevens.

Wyclef spoke glowingly of the two in the days leading up to the event.

“We [are] about to get a treat. I think they’re some of the most talented kids I ran across,” he said on Instagram.

Jean, Stevens and Benjamin performed on a livestream before hundreds of online viewers.

"I’m blessed to be around amazing people and it just so happens that God gave us a gift and we moved with that gift. This was destined already and we just walked in our purpose and it happened like this,” said Benjamin.

Both Benjamin and Stevens are former students of the Newburgh Free Academy and of Mayor of Newburgh, Torrance Harvey.

"NFA and Mr. Harvey has played a huge part in where I’m at right now," he said.

Mayor Harvey is very proud of his former students.

"It inspired me like you cannot even imagine," he said. "You guys have got to stick with your art, stick with your love, your passion, and [you’re] going to be successful because both of them are super talented."

Stevens said the opportunity reaffirms a lifelong belief: "Put the hard work in, develop the skill, and somebody is going to notice one day," she said.

For Benjamin, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

"You can really be exactly who you are and get to where you’re supposed to be, without being [anything] other than who you are," he said.