Sheryl Lee Ralph to perform at the 56th Super Bowl ahead of Rihanna's halftime performance
This year's Super Bowl is shaping up to be not only the stage for Rihanna's long-awaited comeback, but also yet another star-studded event.
Though there has been little to no detail about this year's halftime show and the game's other performers aside from its lead singer – who herself has been very mum about what fans can expect – the NFL has confirmed that she won't be the only major star in attendance.
Abbott Elementary's Sheryl Lee Ralph, who has been making waves this latest award season, is officially a part of the pre-game lineup for Super Bowl LVII.
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Before the game starts – which teams are playing has yet to be determined – the actress will sing a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing.
Sheryl took to Instagram to celebrate the news, sharing a promotional photo of the event with her picture on it.
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"Come on now. Don't you ever give up on you baby! I'll be singing Lift Every Voice and Sing at Super Bowl LVII – See you there," she wrote, quickly receiving support from fans and celebrities alike. Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson left a string of praising hands emojis, as others wrote: "This is AWESOME!!!" and: "From your lips to God's ears. Congratulations."
This year's game is being held at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Lift Every Voice and Sing was initially written by James Weldon Johnson in 1900 as a poem set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson. By 1917, the NAACP began recognizing the hymn as the Black national anthem.
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It was first written with the intention of commemorating President Abraham Lincoln's birthday, though it later took on themes of civil rights and social justice in light of the Reconstruction era and the passage of Jim Crow Laws throughout the South.
Sheryl showed off her incredible singing voice during her winning speech at the Emmys
The hymn was performed by Reverend Joseph Lowery during President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration, as well as at a White House event in 2014. It also gained wider public recognition when it was frequently sung at demonstrations during the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020.
The 57th annual Super Bowl airs on Fox on Sunday, 12 February. Country music star Chris Stapleton will sing the national anthem, and Babyface will sing America the Beautiful.
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