Sheryl Lee Ralph helped kick off the Super Bowl with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The Abbott Elementary actress, 66, sounded incredible as she performed the Black National Anthem, which was originally a hymn written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900 — and is being performed for the first time ever at the NFL event on Sunday, Feb. 12. She commanded the stage as soon as she walked out in a stunning red jumpsuit with puffed sleeves and an attach train.
Her vocals were simply chilling as she delivered an emotionally charged version of the song, showing off her incredible range and depth. “Till earth and heaven ring/Ring with the harmonies of Liberty/Let our rejoicing rise/High as the listening skies,” she sang, before being joined by a band and choir for the powerful finale of the song. Sheryl will certainly be in history books for the performance, which marks yet another important step forward for the Black community.
Ahead of the performance, Sheryl opened up about the importance of the performance. “I love the fact that the NFL has chosen this year to do its best to work towards diversity and inclusivity, to include the Black National Anthem along with the American National Anthem, along with one of the best songs ever, ‘God Bless America,’” she said to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY days before performing. “It’s just a beautiful time.” the Waterbury, CT native also said. The appearance comes after she nabbed her first-ever EMMY award just months ago in Sept. 2021 in the Best Supporting Actress for Abbott Elementary, making her the first Black woman to do so in 35 years.
Sheryl also teased that she was getting some help in the glam department from her fellow Super Bowl performer Rihanna, who founded Fenty Beauty. “You know what [Rihanna] said to me? She said, ‘I’m sending you all the makeup you will ever need. Please make sure you are a Fab Fenty face on Sunday.’ I said, ‘For you? Absolutely’,” Sheryl shared to PEOPLE magazine earlier in the week, adding, “I will be Fenty down.”
The inspiring star didn’t stop there when it came to dishing on meeting the one and only Riri. “First of all, Rihanna’s so much taller than I imagined. She’s really quite a beautiful amazon. I was like, ‘Oh my God, look at her.’ Yes, this is Savage Fenty. I completely get it,” she also said, praising the new mom’s “warrior spirit” in the interview. “She’s got like a warrior spirit, you know? It’s like, ‘No, why would you mess with her? No, you’ll never win. No, she’s winning all the time.’ I loved it. It was great meeting her.”