Until the earth and heaven resound.
R&B breakout star Coco Jones gave a stunning performance of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” ahead of the 2026 Super Bowl game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
The “ICU” hitmaker, 28, joined an eight-member orchestra during a pregame performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. She was dressed up in a white ensemble.
Jones’ performance preceded singer-songwriter Charlie Puth’s moving rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and folk-rock icon Brandi Carlile’s stunning performance of “America the Beautiful.” All of this took place in advance of Bad Bunny’s highly anticipated halftime show later in the evening.
“Super Bowl LX represents everything our championship game has been about for 60 years, and it’s a day defined by football that brings people together from all over the world,” Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international events and league events, said ahead of Sunday’s big game.
“The pregame ceremony will reflect the Super Bowl’s enduring place at the intersection of sports, culture and entertainment, celebrating the game’s traditions while embracing where it’s headed next,” he added.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” originally written as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900, was later set to music by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson.
The anthem was later adopted as the official song of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1919.
“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often cited as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, was performed for the first time at the 2021 Super Bowl to promote social justice and inclusivity and honor Black history.
Jones was named to sing this year’s national anthem in November. R&B vocalist Ledisi, 53, performed this performance last year ahead of Super Bowl XI between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
During Thursday’s press conference for Apple Music’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, Jones explained that his goal for his performance was to be “authentic.”
“There’s a lot of hope and tenacity in ‘Lift Every Voice’ that I can relate to and that everyone can relate to in their own journey,” she said. “So I really listen to the lyrics, sit back and feel what they mean to me, and naturally respond to them.”
Jones admitted that he was “nervous” about performing, but explained that he wanted to have the incredible honor of being asked to perform at the gig.
“I deserve that moment, I deserve that opportunity,” she said. “Being able to shine a light on this culture is a moment in itself. I’m just a vessel that can express what this means to the culture. I’m thinking about my younger self and what she should have seen. I’m thinking about how she needed to be taught to be able to walk into the room.”
The “Just My Luck” singer also said that her entire family is supporting her, especially her mother.
“My mom was speechless for the first time,” she told host Zane Lowe. “She’s so excited and I can’t wait for her to see me sing at this moment.
Born in Columbia, South Carolina, and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee, Jones was a regular on the Disney Channel before catching the attention of R&B greats Janet Jackson and Beyoncé.
She won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance in 2024 for “ICU,” and her debut record “Why Not More?” was nominated for Best R&B Album at this year’s Grammy Awards last weekend.
As an actress, Jones starred as Kelsey in the Disney Channel sitcom Good Luck Charlie from 2012 to 2013, and had her breakthrough role as Roxie in the network’s 2012 television musical Let It Shine.
Most recently, Jones played Hilary Banks in Peacock’s Bel-Air for all four seasons from 2022 to 2025. Jones also appeared as himself on season 27 of The Voice last year.
“I don’t know how to feel” about performing at Super Bowl LX, the “Here We Go (Woo Oh)” singer said in an interview with Apple Music in December. “I’m still in shock. My life is unreal sometimes.”
“But I think it’s an honor that they looked at me and said, ‘Yes, she can represent the culture in this global moment,'” she added. “It’s really crazy and I’m so grateful for that.”
