Who is the national anthem performer for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight? Tori Kelly sets the stage
The talented Grammy Award-winning artist Tori Kelly is set to perform the national anthem before the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Kelly, who is 31 years old, shared her exciting news on Instagram, in collaboration with Netflix, the platform livestreaming the fight. She posted clips of her practicing the anthem in the boxing ring.
This isn’t the first time Kelly has performed the national anthem at a sports event. In 2019, she sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” for the opening night of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Los Angeles Clippers. She also performed at the 2021 Kentucky Derby and prior to a “Sunday Night Football” game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers in January 2022.
“I love singing the national anthem,” Kelly mentioned to YSL News in 2021. “The key is to keep it simple and not overdo it.”
Here’s what you should know about Tori Kelly:
Who is Tori Kelly?
Kelly first appeared on various singing competition shows in her youth, such as “Star Search” (2003) and “America’s Most Talented Kid” (2004). However, she rose to fame in 2010 after auditioning for season nine of “American Idol” at just 16 years old. Although she sang “Gravity” by John Mayer and reached Hollywood week, judge Simon Cowell remarked that her voice was “almost annoying,” and she didn’t make it to the Top 24.
Following her time on “American Idol,” Kelly began uploading cover songs on YouTube, quickly gaining a following of over a million subscribers. She signed a record deal with Capitol Records in 2013 and has since released five studio albums: Unbreakable Smile (2015), Hiding Place (2018), Inspired by True Events (2019), A Tori Kelly Christmas (2020), and Tori. (2024).
Her album Hiding Place earned her a Grammy for Best Gospel Album in 2019, and she won another Grammy for Best Gospel Performance for “Never Alone,” featuring Kirk Franklin, which became her first No. 1 single on the US Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart. Throughout her career, Kelly has received five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist in 2016.
In addition to her music career, Kelly has also ventured into film, lending her voice to the animated musical films “Sing” (2016) and “Sing 2” (2021).
