R&B singer MAJOR. is responsible for creating one of the most romantic love songs of our time – “Why I Love You” – and you can bet your bottom dollar that you know a couple (or a few) who have walked down the aisle to it. But what happens when the mastermind behind one of the most iconic wedding songs finally gets his chance to sing it as his own wedding? ESSENCE had the privilege of speaking with the R&B singer and his new Nichelle about their magical Texas wedding, and why it was the perfect respite in a time of chaos.
MAJOR. and Nichelle first met in 2002 by way of his friend, who was also Nichelle’s cousin. “I invited her on a date when I graduated high school, right before going off to college,” he says. “We went to Olive Garden. I brought flowers and everything. She called me old fashioned. It didn’t really connect. I thought, ‘she’ll be back.'”
MAJOR.’s prediction was right. Three years ago, they ran into each other at a wedding and started to date. “I was starting to realize all of these deeper connections we had,” said Nichelle. “I just took that as an opportunity to kind of just get to know him again.” MAJOR. interjects jokingly, “She wasn’t trying to try and recap to know friendships,” he said. “She was like, ‘how can I make sure my husband today?'”
When I found Nichelle, I really found my ‘why. I love you,
After getting engaged, they decided to set their wedding date on the eighth day of the eighth month of the year. The number eight has a spiritual significance for the couple, which is why they proceeded even in light of the pandemic. “Our theme was Agape love, which is God’s love,” says MAJOR. “That’s what we wanted to give people. We wanted to give them an escape from all the noise of this pandemic and civil unrest. ‘Rona didn’t stop the show.”
MAJOR, beautifully explains how Nichelle embodies the soulful lyrics of “Why I Love You” as he beams with pride. “When I wrote that song, I only knew relationships that didn’t work. I didn’t know a relationship that felt like forever outside of my relationship with God and my mama. So I wrote it as a love letter to and from God. When I found Nichelle, I really found my ‘why. I love you,” he says. “She literally embodied the fullness of that song.”
MAJOR. sang “Why I Love You” for his bride at their wedding reception, adding in strings and special arrangements, and changing the lyrics to be more personal and heartfelt. The performance is enough to bring a tear to your eye.
Watch the full clip below and scroll through the gallery browse more photos of MAJOR and Nichelle’s heavenly wedding reception shot by Pharris Photography & Film.
