On Thanksgiving, the NFL revealed that singers and musicians from Louisiana and New Orleans would be included on the Super Bowl LIX pre-game telecast.
Before kickoff on February 9, Jon Batiste, a Kenner native who went to St. Augustine High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, will sing the national anthem in the Caesars Superdome.
Treme native Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews will perform “America the Beautiful” with modern Christian artist Lauren Daigle, who is from Lafayette. In the past, they have appeared together as guests on stage and on recordings.
Additionally, Ledisi, a contemporary R&B singer who was born and raised in New Orleans before relocating to California, will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
“We’re honored to work with this year’s pregame lineup to celebrate the rich musical legacy of New Orleans and the entire state,” said Seth Dudowsky, head of music at the NFL, in a news release. “The Super Bowl is a rare moment to unite fans around the world, and this year’s performers will bring the energy, soul and vibrant sounds of the region to a global stage, as we kick off Super Bowl LIX with a celebration to remember.”
Some observers were upset when it was announced in September that Kendrick Lamar would be the Super Bowl LIX halftime singer. They had anticipated that an artist with a connection to the host city would have been included in the high-profile showcase. Rapper Lil Wayne of New Orleans has openly voiced his displeasure at not getting the gig.
Artists from the host city frequently performed during the Super Bowl halftime show decades ago, before it had developed into its own event within an event. The Southern University marching band, singer Irma Thomas, trumpeter Al Hirt, and clarinetist Pete Fountain have made appearances at halftimes of previous Super Bowls in New Orleans.
The NFL made a big investment in Louisiana-born artists for the Fox telecast’s pre-game part in place of halftime. They cherry-picked high-profile locals who possess the grace, professionalism, and vocal prowess required for the challenging songs that lead into the big game.
Batiste was exposed to a wide range of musical genres during his upbringing, including New Orleans jazz, funk, R&B, and classical. He played in the band of his NOCCA classmate Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews during his high school years. Afterwards, he relocated to New York to attend The Juilliard School.
He was hired as the original bandleader of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in New York. In order to concentrate on his own developing popular music career, he eventually left the show. Highlights of his career to date include a sold-out tour, his Grammy Award-winning album of the year, “We Are,” and his exuberant, crowd-pleasing performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
“Beethoven Blues,” a solo piano collection of Batiste’s reworkings of some of the classical composer’s best-known works, was published on November 15.
As a member of Andrews’ band during their time as high school classmates at NOCCA, Batiste had one of his first professional gigs. Although Andrews is from New Orleans, the city does not entirely define or confine him. He has traveled the world, published a number of funk-rock albums with his band Orleans Avenue, and worked with a long list of well-known performers from a variety of genres, including Prince, Eric Church, and U2. When Church performed as the main act at the Smoothie King Center in 2022, he and Ledisi were unexpected guests.
Lauren Daigle, who is also from Louisiana, contributed to the song “What It Takes” from Andrews’ 2022 album “Lifted.”
Daigle’s 2018 album “Look Up Child” and its powerful ballad “You Say” made her the biggest star in contemporary Christian music, dubbed “Christian Adele,” and brought her to the attention of a mainstream pop audience. Before long, she was performing at arenas.
Batiste also provided melodica for the song “Saint Ferdinand,” which is featured on Daigle’s self-titled 2023 album, demonstrating yet another connection between the Super Bowl pregame performers.