An American musician has gone viral after sharing a video of her impressive vocal performance at her best friend's wedding online.
The video, which had been posted to Instagram by songwriter Paris Williams, known professionally as Parisalexa, shows her delivering a flawless rendition of Etta James' classic "At Last" at her friend Blair's big day. The clip, posted on October 16, has been viewed over 4.3 million times, with viewers calling her Etta James reincarnated.
"About two years after establishing our friendship, we both moved; her to Houston and me to Seattle," Parisalexa, who had met Blair while they both attended middle school in California, told Newsweek.
"Unfortunately, we haven't seen each other much or talked since then until this past week when I was asked to fly to Texas to perform for her wedding.
"In the coming weeks, I practiced and listened to many different versions of the song. Becoming familiar with it, I realized that the lyrics were beautiful enough without much embellishment,"
The wedding, held at a magnificent castle in Houston, Texas with perfect acoustics, provided an ideal backdrop for Parisalexa's performance. As an honorary member of the bridal party, the singer felt embraced by the entire wedding group.
Williams sang just before the officiant declared the couple married and recalls that the emotional gravity of the moment made it challenging for her to complete the song without tearing up. She says that she is amazed to see viewers online feel the same way.
"I really didn't expect a blurry low-quality video that someone took from the back of the room to capture the magic of that day, but 4 million people seem to disagree," she said.
The video, recorded by a guest at the back of the room, has captured the magic of a poignant reunion and a beautiful performance, resonating deeply with audiences worldwide. Notable brands like Nivea and Coca-Cola have also commented on the post.
"Welcome back Etta James," one viewer said.
Another added: "Girl, we got goosebumps!"
"Sound just like the song," a third viewer said.
Another added: "Close enough welcome back Etta."
Parisalexa had left a message to her friend in the post's caption.
"Quality wasn't the best but she looked like a Disney princess," she said.
Parisalexa's passion for music started young, often singing in class, which created both a distraction and a foundation for her budding talent. She attended the prestigious Berklee School of Music songwriting camp, where she received an honorary scholarship and was selected as a 2016 National YoungArts Scholar.
Her accomplishments include writing credits for major label artists and a successful appearance on NBC's Songland. Still, the viral video has elevated Parisalexa's profile significantly, introducing her music to a broader audience.
"I'm so grateful that this moment was fossilized and that so many people are finding out about my voice and my music through such a pure full-circle moment of me celebrating my friends' love," she said.
To her existing fans, Parisalexa is known for her signature blend of jazz-infused hip-hop and 90s R&B nostalgia, drawing inspiration from icons like Brandy, Whitney Houston, and Amel Larrieux.
Her career accolades include over 5 million music streams, 4 million views on TikTok, and her work featured on prominent editorial playlists across major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Tidal, and Amazon.
Her songwriting prowess has also led to collaborations with major artists like Normani and has led to her penning billboard-topping K-pop hits like "Supernova" for South Korean group aespa.
English (US) ·