It could have been a disaster, but thanks to the fans at Bobby Dodd Stadium a technical malfunction turned into a beautiful moment of shared patriotism.
Chinua Hawk was about to sing the National Anthem just before Atlanta United FC competed against Houston Dynamo on Saturday when his microphone stopped working.
Though he was singing, no one at the soccer stadium could hear him.
That’s when the fans jumped in to help him out. The whole stadium began belting out the lyrics to the National Anthem and sang the song in its entirety.
“I thought it was incredible,” Hawk told 11Alive. “I knew from the first note that no one could hear me, so I stopped and started again. When I realized they still couldn’t hear me, that’s when the crowd started to sing.”
The sing-a-long went viral on the internet and can be seen below:
Mic wasn't working. But it turned into the best national anthem ever. Well done fans. 🇺🇸 #ATLUTD #UniteAndConquer pic.twitter.com/YB1rsix1Ro
— 11Alive Sports (@11AliveSports) May 20, 2017
Hawk said he was pleased to see that everyone in the stadium could come together in that moment, regardless of what team they were rooting for.
“It made me smile because, for that moment, we were not divided by politics, racial issues or anything else,” he said. “We were one, and it was beautiful. I was honored to be one voice among many last night singing together in a unified spirit. I’ve learned through the years that sometimes things just happen, and there’s nothing you can do about it. So I decided to just go with it and enjoy the experience.”\
Fans at the game couldn’t believe what happened either. They were left in awe by the touching display of camaraderie and unity.
This was the best national anthem I have ever been a part of. I had goose bumps by the time it was over. #ATLUTD https://t.co/BDkgOqL28o
— Chase (@chasetucker2010) May 25, 2017
Best National Anthem Ever!! That’s how we roll here in the #ATL ! Well done #ATLUTD #AtlantaUnited fans! #MicWontWorkWe‘llSingItForYou https://t.co/QiIBEda1Fh
— firerytopaz (@firerytopaz) May 21, 2017
The National Anthem singer at the #ATLUTD game’s mic went out, so the crowd started singing it. Awesome.
— Sam Franco (@samjfranco) May 20, 2017
The independent singer-songwriter who performs acoustic soul and has five albums said he was even invited back to by Atlanta United to sing at another match. Now Hawk says he is a definite soccer fan.
“I’m definitely on board now. Then energy from the fans and the players was intoxicating. I’m all in,” he said.
You can learn more about the artist here.
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