When Candace Payne became famous overnight for her viral Chewbacca Mom video, everyone was won over by her sense of joy and infectious laughter. What they didn’t know at the time is that the lovable wife and mother from Texas is an incredible singer with a voice that is angelic. Clearly, there is more to Chewbacca Mom than just her comedic talents as a recent video demonstrates.
At a recent Houston Astros MLB game at Minute Maid Park, those in attendance were in for a surprise. The 37-year-old mother of two was invited by team officials to perform the National Anthem before the teams took the field. What happened next gave people a whole new appreciation of Candace and proved that she is more than just a viral sensation. Chewbacca Mom nailed the Star-Spangled Banner with precision and emotion, and her soaring high note toward the end brought a rousing ovation from the crowd.
The video which catapulted Candace Payne to Internet stardom and led to appearances on television programs such as the Late Late Show with James Corden, in which she and Corden hammed it up with Star Wars director J.J. Abrams, practically broke the Internet. It came at a time when Candace’s message of simple joy resonated with social media users and went on the become the most viewed video on Facebook, even topping videos posted by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. What many people did not know, however, is that Candace Payne is a college-educated theater arts major who helps her local church with music programs. A skilled vocalist and pianist, Candace also garnered attention by sharing a video of herself performing an emotional rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Heal the World” in response to the recent tragic police officer shootings in Dallas, Texas.
The video of Candace Payne, Chewbacca Mom, singing the National Anthem at Minute Maid Park proves that her fifteen minutes of fame is far from over. It is evident that Candace has much more to offer society as she continues to use her newfound stardom to bring happiness and joy to millions of people around the world.