This is the national anthem singer at the Chiefs - Texans NFL divisional round game
Five years on, the Chiefs and the Texans meet again in the divisional playoffs. Let’s meet the singer in charge of performing the national anthem.
The Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans go in battle this evening, both looking to secure a place in next week’s AFC Championship game.
Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes clearly remember the last time the two teams met at this stage almost exactly five years ago. The Chiefs ran out 51-31 winners, scoring 28 points in the second quarter.
This will be just the third time that the two teams have met in the playoffs. They crossed paths in the Wild Card round in January 2016 - the Chiefs won 30-0, recording their first postseason win since 1993.
Reid will be hoping his team advance in their quest for an historic three-peat.
Who will be performing the national anthem?
Getting the crowd warmed up at Arrowhead this evening will be gospel vocalist Lanell Lightfoot-Stewart who will be in charge of singing the national anthem.
Born in Minnesota and resident in Maryland for 15 years, Lanell is an established singer who has performed with Gary Hines' 40-piece Grammy-winning choir Sounds of Blackness and gospel artist Kirk Franklin.
She began singing at the age of four and honed her craft at her local church. As a teenager, sh received her first recording opportunity to sing lead as a guest artist for The Minnesota Boy Choir.
In 1997, she toured the world with Sounds of Blackness which led to an opportunity to sing on the soundtrack for Robert Duvall’s movie The Apostle.
Lanell Lightfoot performs for the Queen
In 2002, Lanell was invited to sing the national anthem and God Bless America as a soloist on several special occasions for the President of the United States, George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and former Mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani. In 2003, she accomplished among her most notable achievements an opportunity to sing for English monarch Queen Elizabeth II.
Former Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt has been named as the drum honoree.
The 2025 AFC Divisional playoff between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans will be played at Arrowhead stadium in Kansas City on Saturday 18 January 2025 with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT.
Viewers in the United States can watch the game on ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and NFL+.
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