Singing at the Super Bowl with Queen Latifah

Incredible….Awesome….The Best Day of My Life!!!  Those are just a few ways that NJYC Advanced choristers used to describe performing at this year’s Super Bowl with singer, actress and talk show hostess, Queen Latifah.  Less than two weeks before the Super Bowl, Director Trish Joyce received a call at home, asking if the Chorus would like to perform.  The tricky part was that the choristers and families could not find out right away; they had a big surprise coming the following Monday.  What the choristers didn’t know was that plans and activities were in motion to surprise them with a Skype with Queen Latifah herself!  She came on, live, and invited the choristers to join her at the Super Bowl.  Their reaction?  Over the moon!  A flurry of activity continued during the week, from recording vocal tracts to press interviews, to all sorts of logistical arrangements.   At our dress rehearsal at MetLife Stadium, we were delighted by a personal surprise visit from Queen Latifah, photo ops, and the opportunity to sing a verse of “Just the Way You Look Tonight” for her.  She couldn’t have been more down-to-earth and absolutely lovely.  On game day, the excitement continued to grow, as the choristers anticipated the performance.   You really cannot describe the feeling of being on the field, in front of thousands of live fans, photographers, press and  111 million viewers!  It was the thrill of a lifetime.