As Super Bowl madness descended on New Orleans Sunday (Feb. 9,) the Louisiana city showcased its homegrown talent at every turn. Metairie native (and seven-time GRAMMY Award winner) Jon Batiste brought some Big Easy flavor to the national anthem. Christian artist Lauren Daigle, who grew up in Lafayette, teamed up with NOLA musician Trombone Shorty. The two Louisianans put a “rhythmic” spin on “America the Beautiful.” Additionally, the Crescent City’s own Ledisi delivered a soulful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” ahead of Super Bowl LIX.
Videos by American Songwriter
High School Choir Joins Ledisi For Super Bowl Performance
In 1900, NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson penned the poem that would become the hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Gaining ground as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement of the ’50s and ’60s, the song is often referred to as “the Black national anthem.”
[RELATED: The Pursuant Power of the Black National Anthem “Lift Every Voice and Sing”]
Students from at least 10 New Orleans-area high school choirs joined Ledisi on the field at Caesars Superdome ahead of the Super Bowl LIX matchup featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Their voices mingled perfectly with the Grammy-winning artist’s, who nailed every high note and then some.
Cmon Ledisi!!!!!!
— Dani Biebs 🌻 (@Dolce_Grad) February 9, 2025
Adding a “New Orleans Twist”
Born in 1972 New Orleans, Ledisi Anibade Young incorporates elements of R&B, jazz, funk, pop, and soul into her music. Breaking through in 2007 with her third album, Lost And Found, the vocal powerhouse went on to form her own record label, Listen Back Entertainment, in 2020.
They picked the right one to sing Lift Every Voice goooo @ledisi #SuperBowl
— Tamika Jamison (Formerly Newhouse) ಠಿ_ಠ (@tamikanewhouse) February 9, 2025
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight ahead of her Super Bowl performance, Ledisi, 52, said she was excited but nervous for “the biggest stage I’ve ever performed on.”
“I’m just going to rise to the occasion and sing and do my best and channel all the energy of New Orleans—where I’m from, my people—and do my best,” she said. “That’s all I can do.”
One thing Ledisi gon do is SAAAAAAAANG!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🔥🔥🔥 #HappyBlackHistoryMonth #SBLIX
— On The Bright Side TV (@BrightOsajie) February 9, 2025
And of course, “You know I’m going to put a little twist on it,” Ledisi added. “That’s the New Orleans way.”
Featured image by Dave Burke/Shutterstock
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