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From “Blurred Lines” to “Get Lucky to “Happy,” it’s been a whirlwind of success for Pharrell Williams over the past year. The emotional weight of that success caught up to the superstar vocalist-producer during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which aired last night (April 14).
On the OWN show Oprah Prime, the host played Williams a montage of fan-created YouTube videos adapted to his No. 1 Hot 100 hit “Happy.” Following a series of videos from London, the Philippines, Iceland and more, the singer found himself in tears.
STORY: Pharrell Williams, will.i.am Settle Trademark Dispute (Exclusive)
I was just thinking of your grandmother,” Winfrey says. “I bet she didn’t even imagine that.”
Finally, Williams opens up, confessing, “It’s overwhelming because I love what I do and people have believed in me for so long that I can make it to this point, to feel that.”
VIDEO: Pharrell Williams Talks Creative Inspiration, Sources of Happiness
Williams might have been already getting emotional from the subject matter of the interview’s earlier stages. Winfrey asked him about his younger days, even unearthing some childhood photos of him. Regarding “Happy,” he noted how radio stations were passing on the song until his “Happy” clip debuted and fan-made videos began to create attention. “It was no longer my song,” he says.
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
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