President Nelson, 7-Year-Old YouTube Star Share Holiday Moment
Dec 15, 2019, 12:58 PM | Updated: Feb 13, 2023, 2:45 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A 7-year-old social media star and President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shared a holiday moment, singing and playing a favorite Christmas song together.
President Nelson posted video of the moment on his Instagram page Sunday morning.
Claire Crosby and her parents, David and Ashley, met with President Nelson and his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson to spend an evening celebrating the holiday season.
“I was so excited and happy and it was the right thing,” Claire said. “It was one of the most special experiences of my whole life.”
Claire sang “Silent Night” while President Nelson accompanied on the piano.
“Imagine my good fortune at having the chance to accompany (Clair) as she sang one of our favorites,” he posted.
“He did very good and I heard all the keys and his notes were his own version,” Claire said.
The Crosbys have 2.4 million subscribers on YouTube, over 3.6 million followers on Facebook and nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram.
The 7-year-old has made multiple appearances on the Ellen Show. Dave Crosby was a contestant on season 13 of The Voice on NBC and a member of Adam Levine’s team.
Originally from Salt Lake City, the Seattle family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“We feel pretty honored and we don’t really know why we were selected to be the first people to ever be in a music video with the president of the church but that was a special experience for our family and we’re honored to all be in that video with him,” said David Crosby.
The idea for the video, which was filmed in the home President Nelson raised his own family, came from the Church’s mass media department.
“What would it be like to put two people that you wouldn’t normally see or expect together into a music video,” said Tom Pratt, manager of mass media.
Pratt said he then presented the idea to President Nelson.
“Basically the response came back and I think it should be in the key of C,” Pratt said.
The Crosbys also posted the Christmas video on their social media pages.
“We are so honored to have had an incredible experience as a family last week. We spent an evening playing music and celebrating Christmas with President Russell M. Nelson and his amazing wife, Wendy Nelson,” the post said. “We will forever be so grateful that they took the time with our little family during this Christmas season.”
“Music is such a powerful form of worship, and that reality is never clearer than during the Christmas season when we enjoy beautiful carols that testify of the risen Lord,” wrote President Nelson. “This December I hope you will make time with family and friends to enjoy the glorious music of this season. Merry Christmas!”
