Who is 'Black national anthem' singer Ledisi?

Super Bowl LIX is in New Orleans this year, so many of the artists set to perform are NOLA natives.

And that includes Ledisi, who performs "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also known as "The Black National Anthem" at 2025's Super Bowl.

Meet Ledisi, an award-winning vocalist and actor

Ledisi is a Grammy award-winning vocalist who began her music career in 1995. She released her debut album, Soulsinger, in 2000 and now has nearly a dozen albums to her name. She has been nominated for numerous awards, accounting for a total of 46 nominations. In 2021, Ledisi won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance.

However, those unfamiliar with Ledisi and her music, might know Ledisi from her successful acting career. She has acted in numerous roles since 2008 including playing gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in 2014's hit movie Selma and Patti LaBelle in BET's American Soul TV series.

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" was originally written as a poem in the late 19th century by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson, later put the words to music and in 1919 the NAACP adopted it as its official song. Following the 2020 protests against police brutality in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" began following the national anthem during NFL pre-game ceremonies.