Written by Jessica Shelburne
Super Bowl LIV (54) was complete with special commercials, a stellar National Anthem, performance by Demi Lovato, and a saucy halftime show by Latina queens Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.
Yolanda Adams opened the evening with a performance of “America the Beautiful.” Adams is a popular contemporary gospel singer and used her strong vocals to belt the traditional song in a way that was inspiring, though ending a bit off pitch.
Demi Lovato followed Adams with the singing of the National Anthem. After struggling with addiction and working towards recovery, Lovato made a huge reappearance into the entertainment scene this year with her performance at the Grammy’s in January and now at the Superbowl. Lovato performed the anthem beautifully, knocking out the high, prolonged notes that she is known for. Christine Sun Kim, transgressive deaf artist, signed the anthem alongside Lovato. This inclusive move benefits the hearing-impaired community and casts light on artforms that challenge conventional boundaries.
Jennifer Lopez and Shakira brought the heat at halftime with a stunning performance that celebrated women and Latin heritage. Both of these women are middle-aged but are still aflame with energy, rhythm, and talent. They each sang bits of popular songs they’ve released and collaborated onstage with Bad Bunny performing “I Like It,” J Balvin performing “Mi Gente,” and Lopez’s 11-year-old daughter, Emme, an aspiring singer and performer. The show was flashy, exciting, and an altogether success.
This year’s Super Bowl commercials had a common theme of tugging at heartstrings. They highlighted important current events, emphasized fostering healthy relationships with others, and showcased some of the latest developed technology and vehicles. The commercials embraced diversity, including a variety of identifications to promote equality and unification.
Another notable event of this year’s Super Bowl (that actually has to do with football) is how the Kansas City Chiefs won the game against the San Francisco 49ers by scoring three back to back touchdowns with six minutes left in the game after trailing 10 points behind at the start of the fourth quarter. The final score was 31-20.
