King Charles III's coronation was one of the biggest events in British history recently. His ascension to the throne following Queen Elizabeth II's death has been notable.
Opera singer Pretty Yende was part of that historic moment. She performed at the British coronation ceremony last Saturday and blew the world away with her amazing rendition of "Sacred Fire" composed by Sarah Class.
Pretty Yende King Charles Coronation Performance
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Yende opened up about how special her performance was for her.
"It's a dream come true," she told the outlet. "When I got to learn about opera, I realized that it's something that I would like to share with as many people as possible, because of how it made me feel."
Yende became the first African soloist to be invited to perform at a British coronation ceremony, so this feat was a historic first for her.
For her, it was many things - "a dream come true" and a "gift" - and she was more than delighted to share her gift with the world.
Elaborating more on her attendance at the royal gathering, Yende admitted that she felt like "royalty" with her yellow Stéphane Rolland gown.
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Pretty Yende Got Emotional on Her Coronation Performance
Yende sang "Sacred Fire" for her once-in-a-lifetime performance. Before she sang the angelic piece, Yende had some realizations.
"Before I got to sing, I got to be all alone up there, but as soon as I started singing, I felt the incredible celebratory mood in the house and the joy of the people and there was something that truly warmed my heart as well -- and kept me warm, because it's quite chilly in there!"
For her, the whole performance was "quite interesting" as it was a "different experience."
Elsewhere in the interview, she confessed that she was enveloped by emotions and started crying after she performed. She said that the entire performance was a nostalgic trip to her five-year-old self at church, reminiscing her roots in singing.
"Fast forward to today, I have to pinch myself that I'm the same girl. I learned how to sing in the church, and now I'm singing in this incredible abbey. It's amazing."
Yende is one of the most acclaimed opera singers in South Africa and she was conferred with the Order of Ikhamanga in 2013, the highest honor the South African government can bestow to people in the arts.
Watch her full performance below:
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