Black National Anthem to be played at Super Bowl LVIII by singer and Black Lives Matter activist
In addition to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful,” Super Bowl LVIII will include a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – better known as the black national anthem.
R&B singer Andra Day will perform the black national anthem at Super Bowl 58.
Day wrote on the X social media platform this week: “Peace & Blessings!!! Performing the Anthem at the Super Bowl yall! Grateful! Thank You God.”
Day told Entertainment Tonight, “I was so nervous but very, very excited. Grateful. And also, just an honor. It’s an honor to be singing the black national anthem.”
Day said the black national anthem being performed at the Super Bowl is an “important moment.”
Day garnered popularity with her triple-platinum song titled “Rise Up,” which was released in 2015.
“Rise Up” became the unofficial anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Day previously told Time magazine, “It’s a huge honor because Black Lives Matter represents standing up to oppression and persecution. Having the group connect with ‘Rise Up’ made me more aware that I need to use my platform to serve the community.”
When asked what she hoped to achieve by tying her music to her activism, Day replied, “I want to tell the truth about the racial terror that’s happened and that’s still happening today in this country. Too often we change the narrative to make things more digestible, but the reality is, if we don’t address injustice honestly and openly, we’ll never heal.”
In 2018, Day performed at the Oscars with rapper Common. During the performance, the musicians “called out the NRA and Donald Trump,” according to Vox.
The official Black Lives Matter Twitter account congratulated Day on her performance, and she responded by saying it was an “honor to share the stage” with BLM co-founder and “trained Marxist” Patrisse Khan-Cullors. In the tweet, Day also included the hashtag #StandUp4Blacktivists.
Day also performed at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. That year’s DNC featured Trayvon Martin’s mother.
The activist/singer said she looks up to Michelle Obama.
The song “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was originally written in 1900 by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson as a prayer hymn. The song features references to slavery.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People recognized the song as the “black national anthem” in 1919.
Last year, Emmy-winning actress and singer Sheryl Lee Ralph sang the black national anthem at Super Bowl 57 – which was deemed as divisive by numerous online commentators.
Gospel duo Mary Mary and Youth Orchestra performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during Super Bowl LVI in 2022.
A previously recorded version of the black national anthem sung by Alicia Keys was played at Super Bowl LV in 2021.
In 2020, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was played at every NFL game in the first week of the season.
Reba McEntire will perform the national anthem at Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Post Malone will sing “America the Beautiful,” and R&B legend Usher will be the feature act at the Super Bowl halftime show.
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