A special moment. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian called it quits six months ago, but the rapper couldn’t have been happier to have her participate in his Donda listening party on Thursday, August 26.
“He was smiling so hard you could feel his energy radiate as he was looking at her,” an eyewitness tells Us Weekly exclusively. “If you watch the video from the [event], you will see he said, ‘You look pretty.’”
The Skims founder, 40, joined her estranged husband, 44, for his third Donda listening event, surprising fans watching at home and attendees alike. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum donned a Balenciaga wedding dress and veil for the occasion, coming on stage for a recreation of the duo’s 2014 nuptials.
The onlooker notes that the Selfish author emanated a “beautiful aura” when she joined the Grammy winner on stage. “His face lit up,” the insider adds. “The choir was singing during the song and everyone started to tear up.”
Khloé Kardashian and Kylie Jenner posted snaps from the event via social media, but according to the attendee, no one else was aware that the KKW Beauty mogul was going to make a cameo.
“No one knew what was going on when Kim came out,” the insider explains. “The performers didn’t rehearse with music, so they didn’t know Kim was going to make an appearance — it was a surprise.”
After the pair exited the show holding hands, the audience couldn’t hide their enthusiasm about what they’d just witnessed.
“Everyone was talking about that moment,” the source tells Us. “It was surreal. … It was so emotional and beautiful.”
While some fans and observers were surprised to see Kim participating in the event just six months after filing for divorce, a second source told Us that the Dancing With the Stars alum was happy to support the rapper any way that she could.
“If other people think it’s strange, it’s OK, because Kim doesn’t,” the insider explained. “She thinks it’s cool, great for his art and their relationship and loves to show her kids how much she supports him.”
The estranged duo share daughters North, 8, and Chicago, 3, and sons Saint, 5, and Psalm, 2. Despite the end of their romance, the pair have maintained a friendly coparenting relationship, and Kim has been vocal about how much she still respects the “Famous” singer.
Earlier this month, she told Kristen Bell that the musician taught her an important lesson about self-confidence when they were still together.
“I got to a point — and maybe [it was] being in a relationship with Kanye for a decade and someone that absolutely didn’t care about likability factor or what any perception of him was as long as he was true to himself — that taught me so much in the best way [about] just being me and living in the moment,” she said during an episode of the “We Are Supported By” podcast. “That taught me to just be more confident in myself and truly not care as much of what other people thought.”
Keep scrolling for more photos from the latest Donda listening event: