In an interview with MTL Blog, Freida Solomon, the woman who sang to Céline Dion in a viral video, reflects on the experience and the internet reaction. "If people are sending her any type of hate I want them to understand that she's a human being with emotions." See the full videos of the encounter here. Visit MTLBlog for more headlines. Freida Solomon's sidewalk performance for Céline Dion quickly became the stuff of memes. People on the internet appropriated footage of the touching encounter to focus on one moment in which Céline, head peering out from her black SUV and face hidden behind large sunglasses, appears to stare blankly at her fan outside. Out of context, it looks like the Québécoise superstar is glaring disapprovingly at the streetside singer. A screenshot of the expression became instant social media fodder, even reaching the likes of Ariana Grande. The complete video shows Céline stopping her car to listen and congratulating Freida on the rendition of "I Surrender" with a fistbump and a large smile. "It's been a lot," Freida tells MTL Blog of the experience and online reaction. "I didn't know it would have this reaction, positive and negative." "I'm still trying to process everything." "I haven't seen all of the negative because I try to avoid Twitter now as much as possible." Asked what she thinks of the memes that sprouted from her video, Freida says that she mostly has empathy for Céline. "I try to put myself in her shoes. We think that celebrities are invincible. We forget that they're human beings." The single image of her face "does not at all portray what happened. She was so gracious," Freida explains. "Not only did she listen to me. She validated me. She made me feel important." "And everyone twisted it." View this post on Instagram Seen at the @fourseasons ✨🎤 Celine Dion: Thank you for singing for me. Me: Thank you for singing for me my whole life! Such an honor to sing to you @celinedion 🖤 Starstruck is an understatement. #celinedion #singing #starstruck #newyork #fourseasons @cdubzz_ thank you for capturing this moment 😘 A post shared by Music By Freida (@musicbyfreida) on Mar 3, 2020 at 12:09pm PST "If people are sending her any type of hate I want them to understand that she's a human being with emotions." The moment "has been so changed and warped and made fun of" that Freida says it appeared to morph into a "moment that didn't really exist." Above all, however, the singer wants to express gratitude for all the people online who praised her bravery and countered the naysayers. "There are people who are like 'don't even focus on the negative. Don't even believe them.'" "I choose to love myself and be proud of what I did even though so many people are not." View this post on Instagram Found more footage 😍 Yes, I know I was very shaky & cracked at the end but I sang to @celinedion and I’m so happy & blessed to have had this opportunity. She’s so beautiful in every way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love & support. You are all truly amazing! ❤️ A post shared by Music By Freida (@musicbyfreida) on Mar 4, 2020 at 4:11pm PST Despite the memes, Freida is glad that "so much positive" has come her way. "I always knew there was more for me. I have all this love and this motivation to inspire other people and to use music to do that." View this post on Instagram I Surrender @celinedion ✨ This song has a whole new meaning to me now ❤️ • • Guitar by Rii 🎸 A post shared by Music By Freida (@musicbyfreida) on Mar 8, 2020 at 3:50pm PDT "And then this happened. I have a platform now to spread love and spread goodness." "There is so much goodness in the world that overrides the evil and the pain." "That was the best lesson I can get out of this." NOW WATCH See Big Line & Employees Wiping Carts At West Island Costco Amid Coronavirus Panic (Video)
