As a black feminine nation artist, Mickey Guyton has spent the previous 12 months breaking colour — and gender — boundaries within the predominantly white male style. She gave a strong efficiency of her track “Black Like Me” on the Grammys, was the primary African-American lady to co-host the ACM Awards and rocked a supersize Afro when she did “Love My Hair” on the CMAs.
Now, the 38-year-old singer — whose debut album, “Remember Her Name,” is up for 3 Grammys in April — may have one other memorable second when she performs the nationwide anthem on the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday.
“It’s Black Historical past Month, and a black nation singer will get to sing the nationwide anthem on the Tremendous Bowl. Wow,” Guyton instructed The Put up. “This can be a big second for me. It’s an enormous second for black individuals. And I need to characterize that in the very best approach that I can.”
Earlier than the Los Angeles Rams tackle the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Guyton is planning to unite the gamers, the gang and the nation in track.
“I set my intentions with singing the nationwide anthem. I used to be like, ‘OK, togetherness is what I really need,’” she mentioned. “So, I felt the best way that folks would really feel togetherness is that if I had a choir, with people who I consider characterize America. And, you already know, I’ve all people from my black queen to a redneck cowboy to a lady that has one leg on this choir. And that’s the America that I’m happy with — us all standing collectively. All of us belong.”
Overcoming racism
Nonetheless, there are those that haven’t felt that Guyton belonged in nation music merely due to the colour of her pores and skin. Even in any case of her groundbreaking success in 2021, the Texas native began off 2022 by coping with one such racist troll who tweeted, “We don’t need your variety in nation music!” Guyton’s response? “Bless your little coronary heart.”
“Once you see one thing like that, you’re similar to, ‘This particular person doesn’t even know who I’m and what I characterize,’” she mentioned. “It’s like you may’t even combat with a few of these individuals as a result of what comes out of their mouth is simply so past ignorance. It’s like a idiot; you may’t argue with any individual like that.”
Regardless of such resistance, there has been a movement happening with black nation artists — from Kane Brown and Jimmie Allen to veteran Darius Rucker — making strides in Nashville. Guyton, although, isn’t glad.
“I need to see extra ladies,” she mentioned. “It isn’t sufficient for only one black lady to make it in nation music — or wherever. It’s not sufficient, like, there can’t simply be one.”
Recreation day plans
For proper now, although, Guyton is having fun with the victory of scoring the nationwide anthem spot on the largest stage within the sport. And he or she’s proud to be sharing the sphere with another black artists who will be performing during the halftime show: Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige.
“I believe I’m most excited to see Mary J. Blige do the basic Mary dance,” she mentioned. “That is going to be the most effective halftime reveals, and I can not consider I’m part of the Tremendous Bowl that’s doing it.”
As for who she’ll be rooting for through the massive sport — as soon as she will be able to simply chill with a glass of wine — it’s the Rams all the best way.
“My husband [lawyer Grant Savoy] is from Los Angeles, so he’s a Rams fan. As quickly as they came [back] to Los Angeles, he gave up his staff, which was initially the Philadelphia Eagles,” mentioned Guyton. “So he would kill me — or divorce me, not kill me — if I went for anyone else.”
