Super Bowl’s Musical Kickoff with Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga Celebrates Spirit of USA, NOLA

First, Brad Pitt hosted a lengthy segment produced by the NFL to spotlight the spirit of the “huddle,” which is so much more than just a moment before the play on the gridiron. It’s any time people come together.

Whether it’s for prayer or planning, the huddle is a place for collaboration, coordination, and community. It can be around a dinner table, coming out of a locker room, or even after an intense moment when people just need to feel the closeness of others.

It was a powerful reminder of the power of coming together in times both trying and triumphant, with tonight’s game promising a lot of both.

And it set the stage for an even more palpable moment to come from the site of the horrific terror attack in New Orleans that left 14 people dead as Michael Strahan and Tom Brady spoke about how the city responded and how New Orleans, like America, rebounds and stands NOLA STRONG.

As they walked the streets, they rounded the corner to find Lady Gaga sitting at her piano, surrounded by New Orleans citizens and NFL fans alike, standing shoulder to shoulder as she belted out her own hit, “Hold My Hand.”

The song was the message of the whole pre-game experience, in conjunction with the unique spirit of New Orleans. There is no place in the world like the melting pot of the Big Easy, with its cajun foods, unique lingo, and its own musical identity.

That identity came by way of an introduction from favored hometown son Harry Connick Jr. and a whole host of New Orleans local musical favorites, with emphasis on big band, jazz, marching, dance, and every other way that New Orleans is known to express itself through music.

The city that’s known for its parades through the streets brought that same energy and magic to the big stage as they represented their hometown proud with an incredible display of coordination and community. You can bet they earned a big huddle of congratulations and celebration after this joint effort.

New Orleans native Ledisi kept the spirit of her hometown moving through a rousing rendition of what’s become known as the Black national anthem when she hit the field to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Making the moment even more special, Ledisi was backed by more than 125 New Orleans high school students for the performance, which was also in honor of the 125th anniversary of the hymn, according to the New York Post.

Her stunning vocals were matched by a beautiful white gown as the choir of young voices behind her complemented her performance in yellow choir robes, creating a powerful image on the field.

Louisiana continued to represent proudly with Trombone Shorty joining Lauren Daigle for a jazzy take on “American the Beautiful” that had as much funk on it as a sense of patriotism.

Daigle is known for her powerful vocals and ability to create an emotional connection, but she pulled that way back to really let her musical companion shine on his horn and keep the spirit of the piece lively, uptempo and upbeat.

It was that spirit of New Orleans joyfulness again permeating the introduction to this game, which was as much a statement about the host city than anything else. If anything, this should stand as a template for other host cities to follow, as there can be no bigger advertising opportunity for what makes your city so special.

The joint Armed Forces Color Guard and drummers from the United States Air Force Band then presented colors ahead of Oscar winner and seven-time Grammy winning artist and composer — if ever there was a NOLA golden child of the now, it is this man! — Jon Batiste with the national anthem.

Producing his own performance live while playing piano and singing, that jazz influence again permeated a beautifully unique interpretation of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Batiste’s voice was light and airy, while a shot of President Trump — the first sitting president to ever attend a Super Bowl — and daughter Ivanka Trump elicited a huge cheer from the crowd, as if for this moment, perhaps differences could be put aside and we could all be proud of our shared heritage and, as Brad Pitt put it, this “glorious, exasperating, chaotic experiment that is us.”

This musical introductory sequence leading into Super Bowl LIX was for America. It was for New Orleans. It was singularly representative of NOLA in all the best ways, getting fans fired up for the game to come and hopeful for a more unified future where we all huddle up as one nation.