Pharrell Gets Emotional and Cries ‘Happy’ Tears During Interview With Oprah

Pharrell Williams is having quite the stellar year – so why was the “Happy” singer recently caught in tears? Two words: Oprah Winfrey. Pharrell was filming an interview for an episode of Oprah Prime and got choked up when the subject of his hit song – and subsequent fan-submitted videos – came up. Pharrell began talking about the speed of popularity the song garnered to the show’s host when something struck a nerve.

“Zero air-play, nothing. And the next thing you know, we put out the video on November 21 and all of a sudden—boom. I mean, when I say boom, I mean boooooom,” he told Oprah. “And we were like, what’s happening? First of all, people are putting up their own videos. It was like no longer my song.”

That led to Oprah cueing up a montage of some of the many videos from all over the world of people getting happy and dancing to “Happy.” It was a sweet and touching moment, and that’s when Pharrell just couldn’t seem to hold it in any longer and began to silently weep.

As he’s wiping away the tears, Oprah tells him: “You know, I was just thinking about your grandmother. I bet she didn’t even imagine that.”

Jokingly he said, “Why am I crying on Oprah?” to which she responded, “It’s being used for something that’s greater than yourself. I get that.”

“It’s overwhelming because it’s like I love what I do,” the ever-passionate Pharrell said, “and I just appreciate the fact that people have believed in me for so long, that I could make it to this point to feel that.”

Oprah then stated, “I so now get why it’s so infectious because it came from such a clear space. That the energy was absolutely uninterrupted by anything other than allowing it to flow from heart to heart. And that’s what happens when you see it.”

We agree, Oprah. We agree.

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images