On Sunday night, New Jersey native Queen Latifah impressed the crowd at MetLife Stadium with her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The actor, producer and singer was given the honor of performing the national anthem before the New York Giants game against the Dallas Cowboys.
However, the task was larger than just singing the anthem for the season opener. The ceremony also honored the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11, so it was an especially momentous and meaningful occasion.
The New York City Police Department posted the rendition to its Facebook page.
Queen Latifah rose to the task with aplomb. Clad in an all-white Gucci monogrammed suit, the singer gave a powerful performance with not a note out of place. She was accompanied by the NYPD-FDNY (Fire Department of New York) joint choir, who stood behind the star in full regalia. Fireworks burst through the air at the song’s climax, while flag-bearers gently shook the huge American flag that covered the entire field.
It was a touching moment that had many fans wiping away a tear. Before the anthem began, there was a moment of silence during which the cameras switched from the football field to the reflecting pools at the 9/11 Memorial site.
After Queen Latifah’s performance, many people shared their praise on social media. Cowboys fan Kelly Clarkson gave the singer a massive “job well done”:
.@IAMQUEENLATIFAH did such a great job with the anthem! What a multitalented artist! Alright, @dallascowboys vs @Giants, let’s do this!! pic.twitter.com/idA4bZ5JwR
— Kelly Clarkson
(@kellyclarkson) September 11, 2023
MORE: Nearly 14,000 hockey fans sang the national anthem at Stanley Cup playoff game
Hopefully Queen Latifah’s performance helped to soften the blow for the Giants, who were shut out at 40-0.
This isn’t the first time that Queen Latifah has sung the national anthem at a Giants game. She has performed at various NFL games over the years, including the Super Bowl. In fact, she made history at the 1998 Super Bowl. When she took the field at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium, Queen Latifah became the first rapper to ever perform at a halftime show. She sang one of her singles (“Paper”) and performed a Motown tribute with Smokey Robinson, Boyz II Men and The Temptations.
With last night’s performance, Queen Latifah cemented her status as the reigning NFL royalty.
MORE: Super Bowl halftime shows—ranked
Any products or services mentioned above were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
