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Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle performed a jazzy rendition of Ray Charles’ iconic 1972 patriotic song, America the Beautiful during the pre-game show of the Super Bowl LIX. It was held on Sunday, February 9 night at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Daigle, 33, was accompanied by New Orleans-based trombone player Troy Andrews, 39, who goes by the stage name Trombone Shorty. There were chorus singers as well as sousaphone and guitar players for the performance.
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Notably, this duo was not the first to perform America Is Beautiful at the Super Bowl. Last year, Post Malone delivered an acoustic rendition of the song during the pre-game show.
For those unaware, Lauren Daigle started out her career by auditioning for American Idol when she was still a teenager, back in 2010. Years later after becoming successful, she returned as a guest mentor in season 17.
Lauren Daigle tried out her luck on American Idol three years in a row
In 2010, 18-year-old Lauren Daigle auditioned for the 9th season of the music reality series American Idol. However, she couldn’t make it to the top 24. The following year she didn’t make it to Hollywood.
In her third and final attempt in 2012, the Christian musician became a participant but was eliminated in the Las Vegas round. Years later after becoming an award-winning singer-songwriter, Lauren Daigle returned to the show’s 17th season in 2019 as a guest mentor for the top six contestants.
In the season 18 finale in 2020, she also joined the stage alongside the winner Just Sam for a performance. In April 2021, Lauren Daigle appeared as a guest during a comeback special of American Idol meant for ten participants from its previous season.
Back then, the Lake Charles native told Cosmopolitan during an interview that the back-to-back rejections on the reality show paved her career.
"I remember thinking, 'My whole plan has just flipped upside down...' I knew right then, sitting in that moment, I'm going to have to decide whether I'm going to get back up and start trying or if I'm gonna let that just determine the course of my life," she explained.
The two-time Grammy winner added:
"It's so beautiful and powerful to see where a 'no' can take you. I would tell younger Lauren, 'Just hang tight. Ride the wave. Let the journey unfold before you as it's supposed to and you'll be right where you're supposed to be.'"
In February 2023, during the show's 21st season, the How Can It Be songstress surprised contestant Megan Danielle during the premiere episode, as the latter considered her to be an "inspiration."
This year’s Super Bowl pre-game saw Ledisi performing Lift Every Voice and Sing, Jon Batiste delivering the national anthem, and Harry Connick Jr. junior leading the marching bands for a New Orleans tribute. Meanwhile, California rapper Kendrick Lamar headlined the Halftime Show.
Daigle and Shorty have previously collaborated on the 2022 song, What It Takes from his album, Lifted. Subsequently, they also performed at that year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
