By Philip Walzer
Nakia Madry-Smith, the director of Old Dominion University's Peninsula Center and a member of Pharrell Williams' Voices of Fire choir, is appearing twice on national television this week.
Voices of Fire performed on ABC's Good Morning America 3 (GMA3) Friday afternoon and will sing on BET's Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at 8 p.m. Saturday.
A year ago, Madry-Smith sang with Voices of Fire on two late-night TV shows - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Netflix last year released "Voices of Fire," a documentary about the choir that has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award.
Madry-Smith received her M.B.A. from Old Dominion in 2005.
"In a year that has been filled with tragedy and darkness, I'm grateful for the light," she said Friday. "I had no idea where this road would lead when I hesitantly and somewhat begrudgingly auditioned in 2019, but I continue to remain thankful and humbled by this opportunity!"
Madry-Smith also sings in two local groups, The Fuzz Band and Rocky 7. "We're on lockdown with the majority of our musical community, but I believe that closed doors bring new opportunities so be on the lookout for new music in 2021!"
