Super Bowl LVIII: 5 things to know about the pregame entertainment, from Reba to Spongebob
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(NEXSTAR) — Before the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers faced off in Super Bowl LVIII, the NFL provided some pregame entertainment.
That included three songs and a flyover if you watched the main Super Bowl coverage, or a special performance by Spongebob if you were watching on Nickelodeon.
Here’s what you need to know.
Who performed the national anthem before the Super Bowl?
Country music star Reba McEntire performed the “The Star Spangled Banner.” The three-time Grammy winner has more than 30 studio albums, including hits like “Fancy.” A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, McEntire earned a Golden Globe nomination for her lead role on the television series “Reba.” She released her latest album “Not That Fancy ” and new book last year, is a coach on “The Voice,” and is reportedly set to star in an untitled sitcom pilot on NBC.
This isn’t her first national anthem performance: Reba sang “The Star Spangled Banner” at the National Finals Rodeo in 1974, she told CBS Mornings last month. Reba has also performed the anthem at a World Series game in 1997 and a Dallas Cowboys game in 1999.
Fellow country singer Chris Stapleton performed the national anthem last year at Super Bowl LVII.
Actor Daniel Durant performed the national anthem in American sign language. He followed his “CODA” film castmate and Oscar winner Troy Kotsur, who took on the role last year.
Who performed the Super Bowl flyover?
While Reba and Durant performed the national anthem inside Allegiant Stadium, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds conducted the flyover. The squadron is based at nearby Nellis Air Force Base.
Those attending the game weren’t exactly able to see the flyover, thanks to Allegiant Stadium’s translucent roof.
On Feb.18, the Thunderbirds head to Florida for a flyover at the Daytona 500.
Slideshow: Super Bowl LVIII Pregame Performers
FILE – Reba McEntire performs during the 2023 CMA Fest on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Spotify House in Nashville, Tenn. McEntire will grace next month’s Super Bowl stage to sing the national anthem while Post Malone will perform “America the Beautiful.” (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP) 
FILE – Daniel Durant arrives at the 33rd annual Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Los Angeles. Durant will perform the national anthem in American sign language at the Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) 
Members of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds perform over Daytona International Speedway before the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack) 
FILE – Post Malone performs a medley at the 57th Annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Nashville, Tenn. Post Malone will perform “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File) 
Andra Day arrives at the Pre-Grammy Gala on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 25: Shaheem Sanchez attends The National Association Of The Deaf’s Breakthrough Awards at Audrey Irmas Pavillion on October 25, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Who sang “America the Beautiful?”
Singer-rapper-songwriter Post Malone performed “America the Beautiful” ahead of kickoff. The 10-time Grammy nominee has recorded multiple hits including “Congratulations” with Quavo, “rockstar” with 21 Savage, and “Sunflower” featuring Swae Lee from the 2018 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” He released his fifth studio album “Austin” last year.
Model-dancer Anjel Piñero signed “America the Beautiful.” Piñero appeared in an episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” last year, according to IMDb.
Who sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing?”
“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as “The Black National Anthem,” was performed by singer-songwriter-actress Andra Day and signed by actor-dancer Shaheem Sanchez.
Day played Billie Holiday in the 2021 biopic, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” She went on to win a Golden Globe for her role, as well as a Grammy Award for the film’s soundtrack. She’s well-known for her hit, “Rise Up.”
Why is Spongebob performing before the Super Bowl?
“Spongebob SquarePants” viewers will undoubtedly remember what could be the show’s most iconic episodes, “Band Geeks,” which aired in Sept. 2001. Spongebob and other Bikini Bottom residents form a band that is set to perform at the Bubble Bowl. They ultimately stun the crowd with a performance of “Sweet Victory” by David Eisley and Bob Kulick.
As Nexstar’s WTRF reports, an online petition called for the song to be featured during Super Bowl LIII in 2019 to honor Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in November 2018. The song itself was not played, but a clip from the episode was used as an introduction to Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode.”
CBS Sports, which is carrying the Super Bowl this year, announced earlier this month that “Sweet Victory” would air ahead of Nickelodeon’s Super Bowl broadcast (live from Bikini Bottom) at 6:30 p.m. ET. The clip will, however, look slightly different than the original, according to reports.
Super Bowl LVIII will kick off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 11.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
