Kendrick Lamar delights young fan with birthday song at Canberra Spilt Milk festival
American rap superstar Kendrick Lamar brought the house down at Spilt Milk in Canberra, but it was his interaction with a nine-year-old superfan that stole the show.
Lamar paused his festival set on Saturday night to sing Happy Birthday to a sobbing Kalina Fowler, with the help of tens of thousands of revellers.
"I was yelling out, it's my birthday, it's my birthday, and then Kendrick saw me yelling so he stopped in the middle of the song," Kalina told ABC Canberra.
"It was the funnest time ever — my first ever concert."
Kalina Fowler thinks her blue braids helped her stand out in the crowd. (ABC News: Lily Nothling)
The multi-Grammy Award winning artist also presented the Bidigal/Dharawal, Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri girl with a signed and personalised cap.
"People want my hat so bad, they tried to give money to me," Kalina laughed.
"I said this hat is really priceless so I'm going to keep it for the rest of my life.
"I won't let nobody touch it."
Clips capturing the moment have gone viral on social media.
Kendrick Lamar performed at Spilt Milk in Canberra on Sunday. (Supplied)
'We've still been crying'
Kalina is a member of the Yukkumbruk Dancers and had performed at a Welcome to Country ceremony earlier in the festival.
She had hoped to meet Lamar backstage but instead watched his set from the crowd on her grandfather's (bubu) shoulders.
"I think Kendrick was a bit surprised at the lyrics a nine-year-old was singing,"her grandfather Robert Palm said.
"She knew every word."
Loading...Kalina has been listening to Lamar's music for longer than she can remember.
Her grandmother (bubu), Ngunnawal elder Serena Williams, watched on from the crowd in shock as Kalina got her moment in the spotlight.
"We were just crying, and we've still been crying this morning because we're just so overwhelmed,"Ms Williams said.
"Kendrick Lamar has been a face for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth with his political ways of singing about Black Power and the justice issues for Black people around the world."
Kalina Fowler with Kendrick Lamar's cap. (ABC News: Lily Nothling)
Lamar has been the headline act for this year's Spilt Milk festival, playing in Ballarat, Perth, Canberra and the Gold Coast.
About 50,000 people attended the sold-out Canberra leg, with music lovers braving wet conditions.
Kalina believes her blue braids helped her catch her idol's eye.
Kalina is a member of the Yukkumbruk Dancers. (Supplied)
She has described the encounter as the "bestest birthday gift ever".
"When I get older and I get kids, I will give my hat to the kids and then they can keep going for generations and generations,"Kalina said.
"This memory of when I was nine years old is going to stay with me forever."