Pharrell Williams delights Montreux

Pharrell Williams performs on stage at the Auditorium Stravinski during the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 7. AFP PHOTO / POOL / Richard Juilliart

“Clap along if you know what happiness is to you,” Pharrell Williams sings and the room pulsates with clapping hands and joyous dance moves.

Williams, whose ubiquitous hit Happy has taken the world by storm and spawned copycat dance videos around the globe, worked his magic on the audience at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland on Monday night.

When Williams, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt hidden behind a mass of gold chains and his famous hat, wrapped up the show with his planetary hit, the crowd danced and clapped in unison under a sea of selfie-snapping smart phones.

The boyish 41-year-old said before the concert he could never have imagined Happy, made for the soundtrack of the film Despicable Me 2, would be such a hit.

“It was humbling ... I couldn’t believe anything that I ever did could get that kind of attention,” he said.

In Montreux, the R&B hiphop star also widely known as just Pharrell, seemed intent on spreading the joy further.

“I want you guys to let loose!” he shouted.

Surrounded by a cast of beautiful dancers, twirling and gyrating with inexhaustible energy, the singer, songwriter, producer and fashion designer performed songs from his second solo album Girl, including the opening track Marilyn Monroe – his homage to beautiful women.

“2014 is the year of the woman!” he shouted, briefly halting the music to urge the crowd to fight for gender equality.

As Get Lucky got started, he pulled a woman who said her name was Silada onto the stage to dance. "We're depending on girls like you to go out and change the world, just so you know," he said, giving her a hug.