Super Bowl 2025: Kendrick to headline; Jon Batiste, others join
The National Football League (NFL) and Roc Nation have announced the pregame performers for Super Bowl LIX, which is set to take place on February 9 in New Orleans. Grammy-winning singer Jon Batiste, Christian recording artist Lauren Daigle, R&B vocalist Ledisi, and jazz musician Trombone Shorty will take the stage ahead of Kendrick Lamar's highly anticipated halftime show at the Caesars Superdome. Take a look at the full lineup.
Super Bowl 2025: Performers' roles and inclusion of ASL
Batiste has been chosen to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Daigle and Shorty will join forces for a rendition of America the Beautiful, while Ledisi will give a powerful performance on Lift Every Voice and Sing. Along with these performances, American Sign Language (ASL) renditions will be given by Stephanie Nogueras for the national anthem and America the Beautiful.
Super Bowl 2025: ASL performances to enhance inclusivity
The addition of ASL performances is intended to make the Super Bowl more accessible. Otis Jones IV will sing Lift Every Voice and Sing, while Matt Maxey will interpret Lamar's halftime show in ASL. Alexis Kashar from LOVE SIGN and Howard Rosenblum from Deaf Equality are also part of the team providing ASL entertainment during both pregame and halftime shows.
Super Bowl 2025: Controversy over Lamar's halftime show
The announcement of Lamar as the halftime show headliner has stirred controversy. New Orleans-born rapper Lil Wayne, for one, was disappointed over not being chosen for the performance, sharing his feelings in an emotional Instagram post. "That hurt. It hurt a lot...I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown—and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position."
Meanwhile, Drake accused UMG of boosting Lamar's track
In a related development, rapper Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify. He alleges that the companies devised a "scheme" to promote Lamar's diss track Not Like Us. Drake claims they used "bots" to inflate the song's streams artificially, misleading consumers into believing it was more popular than it truly was. A UMG spokesperson denied these allegations, stating their marketing and promotional campaigns adhere to the highest ethical standards.
