Super Bowl Preshow: Jhene Aiko Performs “America the Beautiful,” Mary Mary Sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing”
Before Mickey Guyton performed the national anthem at Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, a few other performers took the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Jhené Aiko delivered a performance of “America the Beautiful” from the field. Aiko, dressed in a sequined gown, was accompanied by a harpist, and her performance was intercut with footage of U.S. soldiers watching her performance from where they were stationed overseas.
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Aiko is a Grammy nominee, having earned an album of the year nom last year for Chilombo.
For the national anthem and “America the Beautiful,” actress Sandra Mae Frank performed both songs in American Sign Language on behalf of the National Association of the Deaf.
Mary Mary hit the stage outside the stadium to give a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” prior to Aiko’s performance. The gospel duo were dressed in coordinated sparkly blue attire, backed by the L.A. Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) and conducted by Thomas Wilkins, principal conductor of the L.A. Phil’s Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
Players and fans inside SoFi watched the duo — natives of Inglewood, California, where the stadium is located — as they performed via screens inside the venue.
Other preshow entertainment included DJ/producer ZEDD, who served as the official pregame DJ during player warmups.
In addition, the Air Force conducted a flyover during the national anthem in honor of the military branch’s 75th anniversary.
And Halle Berry got NBC’s official kickoff show to a start with a video of the history of the NFL and the Super Bowl, along with a montage of various iconic football films that featured appearances by Carrie Underwood, Joe Namath, Kevin Hart, Peyton Manning and more stars and athletes.
Appropriately enough, with the game being played in Los Angeles, several Hollywood stars were in attendance, including Charlize Theron, Mark Wahlberg, Sean Penn and Matt Damon.
Dwayne Johnson hit the field to introduce the teams prior to kickoff, dressed in a violet-hued T-shirt and maroon-colored pants.
The show also included the presentation of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which was given to Rams offensive linesman Andrew Whitworth for his philanthropic efforts in Los Angeles.
The Rams are playing the Cincinnati Bengals at the game.
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