Gladys Knight belted out a rousing rendition of the national anthem prior to the 2019 Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams.
Knight, an Atlanta native known as the “Empress of Soul,” received loud cheers from the crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
In the weeks prior to the Super Bowl, Knight faced criticism from some who believe that she and other artists should have refused any offers from the NFL to perform due to the controversy following former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem while he was on the team.