Nakia Madry-Smith
Nakia Madry-Smith, director of the 51鱨վ Peninsula Center, joined Pharrell Williams on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Monday night. Madry-Smith, an 51鱨վ alum, is part of the Voices of Fire choir, which backed Williams as he performed his song, "Letter to My Godfather."
Here's a to Monday's performance.
This is Madry-Smith's second performance with Williams in just over a month, having performed with the Virginia Beach native on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" last month.
Singing since the age of 5, Madry-Smith also performs with two local groups, The Fuzz Band and Rocky 7. Their repertoire ranges from funk and progressive soul to '70s R&B and jazz fusion.
The Fuzz Band performed at one of former President Obama's inaugural parties and three USO tours. Locally, the bands appear at everything from corporate events and festivals to weddings.
The Peninsula Center is one of three 51鱨վ Regional Higher Education Centers which serve as gateways to the University, providing accessible, high-quality education in convenient locations within Greater Hampton Roads. Madry-Smith has led the center in Hampton since 2015. She previously worked at Old Dominion's Career Development Services for six years.