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Country singer Mickey Guyton took center stage at Super Bowl LVI to sing the national anthem, and the next day, people are still talking about it for all the right reasons.
Getting up to sing the national anthem might be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences for a performer. It’s not the easiest piece to sing solo, even for seasoned veterans of the stage. However, her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” has fans and fellow artists praising her poise and delivery in front of one of the biggest audiences possible.
Before her historic day, the “Black Like Me” singer talked about how important it was for a Black female country vocalist to have the spotlight on one of the world’s biggest stages during Black History Month.
“It’s Black History Month, and a Black country singer gets to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Wow,” Guyton told The New York Post. “This is a huge moment for me. It’s a huge moment for Black people. And I want to represent that in the best possible way that I can.”
The Grammy-nominated artist also told the Post she wanted to focus on bringing Americans together for the national anthem, which is one reason why she and producers decided to include a choir in the performance.
“I set my intentions with singing the national anthem,” she continued to the Post. “I was like, ‘OK, togetherness is what I really want.'”
However, the 38-year old singer spoke candidly to The Washington Post about crafting the message for her national anthem performance during a time in our nation’s history when things feel more divided than united, both politically and culturally.
“I want to be able to proudly wave my American flag and sometimes it’s really difficult to do, watching what’s going on in this country,” she told The Washington Post. “That doesn’t mean I don’t love it here, it just means we have a lot of work to do.”
Following Guyton’s stunning performance, celebrities and fans flooded social media with praise for the singer’s powerful rendition of the national anthem.
Movie star Halle Berry had one simple statement on her Twitter feed about the country singer:
Mickey Guyton. That’s the tweet. #SuperBowl
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) February 13, 2022
Country Music Television tweeted that everyone should know who Mickey Guyton is following that performance.
Some of us already knew, but now the rest of the country does too!
@MickeyGuyton
#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/NuLIwik3IP
— CMT (@CMT) February 13, 2022
Singer Cassadee Pope shared her amazed reaction on Twitter, writing, “Showing us all how it’s done.”
Well done @MickeyGuyton !! Showing us all how it’s done. @SamPalladio and I couldn’t keep it together!
#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/s799F2I35c
— Cassadee Pope (@CassadeePope) February 13, 2022
But maybe the most adorable reaction was shared by Twitter user Kerrne Bryan of her 5-year-old daughter’s adorable reaction to Guyton’s performance.
My 5yo’s response to the #SuperBowl national anthem performance by Mickey Guyton #Mickeyguyton #blownaway pic.twitter.com/gTH9G49mIM
— Kerrine Bryan (@KerrineBryan) February 13, 2022
If you missed Guyton’s stirring rendition of the national anthem or simply want to see it again, you can watch the NFL’s video of Guyton’s performance on YouTube whenever the mood strikes you.
Congratulations on a fabulous performance!
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