Just like last year and other major sporting events in recent years, this year’s Super Bowl will feature another special song during the pregame ceremony along with the playing of the national anthem as the classic hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which has become known as the Black national anthem, will be performed. And now we know who will be performing it.
On Thursday, the NFL announced that Grammy Award-winning singer Andra Day will be performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing’ before the Super Bowl this year.
“Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, activist and acclaimed actress Andra Day will sing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’ Initially known for her 2016 Grammy-nominated behemoth, “Rise Up,” which amassed over 1 billion streams and an RIAA triple-platinum certification, Day has performed alongside numerous global artists and stars. Her feature-acting debut “The United States vs. Billie Holiday” earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the Oscars, two Golden Globes for Actress in a Drama Motion Picture and Original Song in a Motion Picture,” the NFL announced in a release.
The hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing” is a song that is included in more than 40 Christian hymnals and has been embraced by the Black community for its allusion to the biblical Exodus from slavery to the freedom of the “promised land.”
The Star Spangled Banner will also be performed ahead of the game by Reba McEntire.
[NFL.com]
