Coco Jones' pregame rendition of Black anthem ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ at Super Bowl LX slammed

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA: Singer Coco Jones opened the 2026 Super Bowl with a powerful performance of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing,' honoring the Black national anthem ahead of the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, February 8.

Accompanied by an eight-piece orchestra, the 28-year-old R&B singer took the stage during the pregame ceremony at Levi’s Stadium. She wore a striking white outfit for the appearance.

Coco Jones performs 'List Every Voice and Sing' at Super Bowl 2026 

Coco Jones’ appearance was part of a pregame program highlighting music and tradition ahead of kickoff.

Jones’ performance came ahead of singer-songwriter Charlie Puth’s touching rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' and folk-rock icon Brandi Carlile’s performance of 'America the Beautiful,' all leading into rapper Bad Bunny’s highly anticipated halftime show later in the evening.

“Super Bowl LX represents everything our championship game has become over 60 years – a day defined by football that brings people together from all over the world,” Peter O’Reilly, the National Football League’s executive vice president of club business, international and league events, said ahead of Sunday’s big game.

“The pregame ceremony will honor the legacy of the game, while embracing where it’s headed next, reflecting the Super Bowl’s enduring position at the intersection of sports, culture and entertainment,” he added.

Coco Jones’ performance drew mixed reactions online

Coco Jones’s performance quickly became a topic of discussion on social media, with some users criticizing the moment while others defended it.

One user said, “They do this early to get it out of the way. The NFL has decided that there’s a black national anthem and a white national anthem.” Another added, “They get the black national anthem out of the way real quick. Lol. The US I grew up in, there was only one national anthem.”

A different user wrote, “The performance of the ‘Black National Anthem’ is pure disgusting. Are you an American or not? They divide us every way they can. Gross!” Someone else simply reacted with a thumbs-down emoji to describe Jones’s performance. 

Another comment read, “It’s just used to divide people. We’re Americans. That’s it.” One more user added, “It’s not bizarre, it’s divisive and evil.”

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