Country star Luke Bryan will sing the U.S. National Anthem at the 2017 Super Bowl.
Luke Bryan reveals he jumped at the chance when he was asked to perform at the football game in Houston, Texas on 5 February (17).
“I said, ‘Hell yes, I’ll do it’,” he tells People.com.
Luke knows the task of singing the anthem at the biggest sporting event in America will not be an easy one, but he insists it is what he has been dreaming of since the start of his career.
“Is the anthem challenging? Yes. Is it nerve-wracking? Yes,” he says, “but I moved to Nashville to follow my dreams and singing the National Anthem on that stage doesn’t get any bigger.”
“I never served in the military – that’s something I wish I had had the opportunity to do,” he adds, “but I feel like this is my way of honouring my country. It’s a little chance to serve.”
Bryan is remaining focused on singing the anthem, but he also wants to see his hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons, make it to the big game. At press time in the team’s home Conference Championship game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday (22Jan17), the Falcons were winning 37-15. If they beat the Packers, they’ll be in the Super Bowl.
“I’m a huge Atlanta Falcons fan and it would be amazing if my Falcons make it,” he continues. “I’ll be focused on the anthem, and once I walk off that field and shake off that pressure, I’ll be ready to enjoy some football.”
Bryan will join Lady Gaga, who will perform during the Halftime show. Gaga, like Luke, has been dreaming about performing at the Super Bowl since she was a child.
“I’ve been planning this since I was 4, so I know exactly what I’m going to do,” she said In a behind-the-scenes video released by Pepsi. “For me, it’s all about giving to the fans and bringing people together that wouldn’t normally come together.”
Lady Gaga performed the National Anthem last year (16).
Meanwhile, another hometown Falcons fan played during halftime of the teams game against the Packers – Ludacris took the stage to entertain fans.
