Source: Gilbert Flores/Craig Barritt / Getty
The internet has been in awe over the engagement of singer Normani to her football boo, DK Metcalf, and it seems we, once again, have Ciara‘s prayer to thank.
The beautiful pair’s love story began in 2022 and it’s poised to last forever. DK and Normani spilled the beans to Vogue in an exclusive interview, 24 hours after the newly minted Pittsburgh Steeler player announced their impending nuptials during a press conference.
“I was thinking that I’m in on the secret, and it turned out that everybody else was in on the secret and I had no idea what was going on,” Normani said about the surprise proposal. “My whole family’s there, his whole family’s there, and this is how clueless I was: I run and I hide, as if I’m about to be in on the surprise for his sister—thinking she’s behind us and that we’re all going to say, ‘Surprise!’”
Though she noted the presence of flowers in her favorite color, candles, a cellist, and pianist playing, it still took her a minute to connect the dots.
“Honestly, I was so overwhelmed, I can’t even remember what was said. I just said ‘Yes, yes, yes, of course.’ The ring was beautiful. My baby did amazing. It was so beautiful and special, and he went above and beyond.”
DK’s planning ability really came to life when trying to make this a proposal to remember.
“When we first met, we watched Juwanna Mann at my house,” said Metcalf. “There was a part in the movie where Vivica Fox’s character said, ‘It would just be nice to receive flowers on a Wednesday.’”
For months leading up to the special day, he sent her flowers…every Wednesday. Ladies, you’re not asking for too much!!
“At the very end of the story, I used both of our nicknames and said I had a question for her,” Metcalf said. “As she finished reading the final love letter, I came down the stairs, got on one knee and asked if she would marry me.”
In all fairness, he did have a year to make things perfect as he admitted that he actually planned to pop the question during a trip to Turks and Caicos in 2024.
“She was releasing her album at the time, and I didn’t want to give a hint that we had to go to Turks during her album release. I really wanted to come up with an idea and plan that would flow easily, and that’s what I did,” he revealed.
And, of course, Ciara and her very own Prince Charming, Russell Wilson, playing matchmaker makes their love story even better.
“Me and Ciara are really close, and Russell and DK were teammates on the Seattle Seahawks,” Normani said. “About two years prior to us even meeting, they were playing music videos in the locker room and ‘Motivation’ ended up popping up on the screen. He was like, ‘The moment that I saw you come up on that screen, I said, ‘That’s going to be my wife. That’s going to be my girlfriend one day.’’ I was in a relationship at the time, and then the chips just fell the way that they did.”
You better manifest your queen, DK!
For Normani, the timing is perfect after having a rough few years in her personal life.
“I’m grateful that I get to do it alongside my mom,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot as a family between my mom and my dad’s health issues: my mom was diagnosed two times with breast cancer, and she’s still here to see this day, and my dad has prostate cancer. I don’t take for granted that they’re both here to witness this monumental moment in my life—I’m really, really blessed.”
Much love to Normani and DK as they head into their next chapter!
