Grammy Award-winning artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard will be singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Arrowhead Stadium before Thursday night's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.
Cobbs Leonard won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance in 2014 and has won three Billboard Music Awards throughout his career.
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Tasha Cobbs Leonard performs at the Vibes Stage during day four of CMA Fest on Sunday, June 11, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY Network)
The announcement that the song would be played before kickoff drew the same harsh criticism as previous years: NFL teams began playing the song, also known as the Black national anthem, in 2020 after a summer of racial unrest in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
Since then, the song has been played every year before the Super Bowl. Online reactions have been fierce in both directions, with fans frequently speaking out about the song being played, while others have also criticized fans who don't stand up at the moment.
The same thing happened on Thursday.
(Jay Biggerstaff – USA Today Sports)
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“We celebrate unity, culture and the thrill of the game,” Cobbs Leonard said, urging fans to pay attention to his performance.
“So excited to kick off the NFL season with a powerful live performance of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' at the Chiefs-Ravens game in Kansas City! It's going to be an unforgettable night of football, music and an electric atmosphere,” she wrote on Instagram.
Coco Jones will sing the national anthem at the game. The R&B singer won a Grammy this year for Best R&B Performance.
(Denny Medley – USA Today Sports)
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The Chiefs and Ravens will open the NFL season at 8:20 pm ET.
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