The Naden Band at CFB Esquimalt marched into Vancouver’s B.C. Place on Saturday with a bonus member in tow: Katy Perry.
“That is a picture I’m going to remember in my mind forever,” said PO2 Cindy Hawchuk, a member of the Royal Canadian Navy band.
The military musicians travelled to the mainland to perform with Perry during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games. The games showcase the athletic talents of sick and wounded veterans and service personnel from around the world.
“We were downstairs in the tunnel getting ready to go on, and all of a sudden Katy Perry appeared and she was just a normal, regular, everyday human being,” CPO2 Brayden Wise said.
“She asked great questions. She was wonderful to hang around with.”
The Naden Band was joined by military musicians from Vancouver and Edmonton, along with another famous face: Coldplay’s Chris Martin.
“We had to get all of the backing tracks ready, so that we were prepared by the time we actually got to the stage. And when we did, it went off without a hitch,” Wise said.
“It’s something that I know I’m going to carry with me for the rest of my days.”
Hawchuk did not perform alongside Perry and Martin, instead singing the national anthem in front of thousands of people.
“I was able to look at all the athletes and I was just completely overwhelmed with emotion. I’ve sung the anthem a lot in my life and I’ve never felt that way,” she said.
“The spirit in that room and that feeling of community, I’ve never experienced in a stadium like that before.”
