The NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro will open with a familiar pregame tradition and a new international backdrop. Before Lamar Jackson and the Ravens meet Dak Prescott and the Cowboys at Maracana Stadium on Sunday afternoon, both the U.S. and Brazilian national anthems will be performed.
Brazil’s anthem will be sung by samba and pagode star Pericles, while American bilingual recording artist Kandace Lindsey will handle “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Pericles, a singer, composer and instrumentist of pagode - a samba subgenre that came out of Rio de Janeiro - was a founding member of Exaltasamba before launching his solo career in 2012. One of his projects, “Em Sua Direcao,” was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the Best Samba/Pagode Album category.
“I’m very happy and honored to receive this invitation. Singing the Brazilian National Anthem is always a very special moment, and having the opportunity to represent Brazil at an event of this magnitude, here at the Maracana, makes it even more meaningful,” Pericles said in the NFL's releas e.
“Music and sports have a unique way of bringing people together and creating unforgettable moments. I’m truly excited to be part of such an important moment for the NFL in Brazil, and I hope to represent our country in the best possible way."
The 57-year-old, who is from Santo Andre, Sao Paulo, will now take the stage for the NFL's first Rio matchup.
Lindsey, meanwhile, is a bilingual American artist whose music blends Portuguese and English and draws from Brazilian soul, jazz and global rhythms. Her latest album was “To Brasil with Love.”
“I am so proud to represent the USA, singing our National Anthem on a stage in a city that has inspired me artistically is a full-circle moment for me,” Lindsey said in the NFL's release. “Music has the power to bring people together across cultures and borders, and I’m honored to have that cross-cultural exchange on full display on this global stage, representing my country through my voice and my art.”
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