Forget sports: Super Bowl LVIII is shaping up to be a massive night for music!
In addition to Usher playing the 2024 Halftime show, three of the biggest stars in country music, hip-hop/rock and soul will rock Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium on Sunday, February 11. The NFL announced on Thursday, January 18, that Reba McEntire will perform the U.S. National anthem before the football championship game. Post Malone will show off his singing chops when he performs “America the Beautiful” and R&B/soul sensation Andra Day will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Adam Blackstone, an Emmy-winning musical director/producer who oversaw Rihanna’s 2023 Halftime show and the 2022 Halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent, will produce and arrange both the National Anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” performances.
Coda actress Daniel Durant will perform the National Anthem in American Sign Language. The multi-talented Anjel Piñero will sign “America the Beautiful,” while actor/choreographer Shaheem Sanchez will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in ASL.
McEntire, 68, who has sold over 75 million records worldwide and was entered into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011, recently joined The Voice, replacing Blake Shelton as one of the long-running music competition’s coaches. McEntire coached alongside John Legend, Niall Horan and Shelton’s wife, Gwen Stefani.
Malone, 28, released his fifth studio album, Austin, in 2023. The “I Like You (A Happier Song)” singer will headline the first night of the three-day Governors Ball event in New York City in June. The festival, taking place at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, will also feature Rauw Alejandro, The Killers, 21 Savage, SZA, Peso Pluma and many more. Day is known for 2015’s “Rise Up” and played the titular role in The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
As for the Super Bowl Halftime show, it will be “specifically curated in my mind to have R&B take the main stage,” Usher, 45, told Vogue in an interview published on Wednesday, January 17. “Not just R&B music, but R&B performance, R&B connection, R&B spirit.”
Citing both Michael Jackson and Prince, Usher said that he’s been thinking about how he’s been able “to walk through the front door as a result of their sacrifice and ability. So I’m carrying a little bit of that. It’s made me feel joyous. It made me feel like I want to go out there, and I want the world to smile when they look at me. I want them to feel something, and feel my passion, my love, feel like I was the right person to sit in this position, and I was the right person to bring this kind of energy and love and connection to the entire world.”
“People will tune in for a football game,” he added. “But I hope when they look at that halftime performance, I’m hoping they walk away with something that’s healing them.”
The NFL playoffs are well underway, with the Super Bowl set to kick off on CBS Sunday, February 11, at 6:30 E.T.
