Watch Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church Perform the Super Bowl 2021 National Anthem
By James Crowley On 2/7/21 at 6:45 PM EST
Culture Music Super Bowl National Anthem NFL
Before the Kansas City Chiefs or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers call the coin toss and kickoff for Super Bowl LV, Grammy-nominated singers Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church performed the National Anthem.
The country singer and R&B artist's duet featured the two trading verses, then coming together in harmony and delivering a powerful performance from the field at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Deaf writer and rapper Warren "WAWA" Snipe also performed the song in American Sign Language along with the pair.
Church played an electric guitar and wore a purple button-down shirt. Sullivan wore a white suit. The pair appeared to be spaced six-feet apart during the performance.
.@jsullivanmusic and @ericchurch sing the National Anthem ahead of #SBLV! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dnhOTrHKfW
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021
Sullivan and Church's duet marks the first time that multiple people have performed that National Anthem at the Super Bowl since 2006—when Aaron Neville, Aretha Franklin and Dr. John performed it for Super Bowl XL at Detroit's Ford Field.
Prior to the game, Sullivan spoke about how she hoped the pair's National Anthem performance would bring people together in an interview with CBS This Morning. "I think it'll be good to bring some unity and to show that—you know—two people can come from two different worlds and have a common goal, and I think us as a people right now, we all have a common goal—or we should have a common goal to get on one accord and bring love to the forefront," she said.
The performance marks something of a victory lap for both singers. In 2020, Church received the "Entertainer of the Year" award at the Annual Country Music Association Awards. Church is also expected to release his next three albums in April. The records will act as companions to each other, appropriately titled Heart, &, and Soul. Heart will be released on April 16 and followed by Soul on April 23. The other album & appears to be an exclusive for members of Church's paid subscription service, which is called "The Church Choir."
Sullivan's performance at the Super Bowl comes on the heels of her critically-acclaimed EP Heaux Tales, which was released in January. Save for guest appearances and a collaboration with Bryson Tiller, Sullivan had not released a collection of music since 2015's Reality Show, which received two Grammy nominations.
Prior to Sullivan and Church's "Star Spangled Banner" duet, Grammy-winner H.E.R. offered a moving performance of "America the Beautiful," from a platform in the stands. She was also joined by Snipe. H.E.R. accompanied herself on an electric guitar, adding a guitar solo to the patriotic song.
.@HERMusicx sings America The Beautiful! #SBLV pic.twitter.com/X5cxxotkwQ
Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church perform the national anthem in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Patrick Smith/Getty