Super Bowl LV: H.E.R. to Sing ‘America the Beautiful’ Ahead of Game

Super Bowl LV will have a star-studded lineup of performers as the big game gets underway on Sunday, Feb. 7. The NFL announced Tuesday that H.E.R. would sing “America the Beautiful” during the Kick-Off Show, while Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church would perform the “Star-Spangled Banner.” (All the festivities can be watched for free online this year.) During the 2020 game, Yolanda Adams performed the role H.E.R. will take on this year, and the year prior, it was Chloe x Halle who took on the honor.

Celebrating the honor, H.E.R. posted on social media Tuesday alongside the news, “I’ll be in Tampa Bay for the @NFL#SBLV to sing America the Beautiful as part of the Super Bowl on @CBS Kick-Off Show at 6 PM ET. Make sure to tune in!” The “Slide” artist’s fans were freaking out at the news, with one person calling it “well deserved.” Another commented, “Yes bring that Rawness,” while a third added, “Okay I see you girll!” H.E.R. is even bringing in some people who otherwise wouldn’t be watching, with one of her followers gushing, “I don’t even watch football but I’m turning in for the performance.”

Sullivan and Church’s performance is also a notable one, as it will be the first time two singers have performed the national anthem together since Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin brought down the house at the 2006 Super Bowl in Detroit. At the 2020 Super Bowl, Demi Lovato lent her voice to the anthem, while Gladys Knight performed the song in 2019.

The full lineup of performers comes just two months after the NFL announced The Weeknd would be the headliner of the Super Bowl LV halftime show, following up after Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s performance at last year’s show earned an Emmy win. “We all grow up watching the world’s biggest acts playing the Super Bowl and one can only dream of being in that position,” the “Can’t Feel My Face” singer said in a statement at the time of the initial announcement. “I’m humbled, honored and ecstatic to be the center of that infamous stage this year.”

The Super Bowl’s performance lineup is settled, but the two teams facing off against one another have yet to be finalized. The winner of the AFC championship between Buffalo Bills and. Kansas City Chiefs and the winner of the NFC championship between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers will play in the big game. Last year, the Chiefs declared victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 31-20.