It takes courage to sing in front of an audience, much less to do so a cappella on the streets of New York City.
So imagine the absolute bravery of the woman who belted out “I Surrender” on the sidewalk in front of the Four Seasons to an audience of one — the song’s hit-maker, Celine Dion.
Aspiring singer Frieda Solomon took a shot when she saw Dion in a stretch SUV outside the famed hotel. That’s when she decided to offer up her version of the five-time Grammy winner’s 2002 power ballad.
And the 51-year-old superstar’s reaction? A clip Solomon shared on Instagram revealed that Dion had her driver stop the car so she could keep on listening!
But that’s not all.
When Solomon sang the final note, Dion gave her a fist bump and thanked her for the entertainment.
A second clip revealed the fan’s response: “You’ve sung for me my whole life, so I wanted to return it.”
But in an interview with E! News after it was all over, Solomon said she never planned to serenade her favorite singer at all. She only hoped to speak to her outside the hotel.
"When she went into her car and closed the door, I knew I lost my chance at speaking to her,” Solomon recalled. “But then I asked her to roll down her window, which she did. I told her how I grew up listening to her sing with Andrea Bocelli and how she's been an icon in my life, and out of nowhere, I started singing ‘I Surrender,' one of her most famous songs."
And now Solomon is internet famous thanks to the now-viral videos of that unforgettable moment.