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The performance will mark the Grammy
award-winning singer's first appearance on the Super Bowl stage,
which has been graced by artists such as Luke Bryan, Lady Gaga
and Idina Menzel in recent years.
Performances of the national anthem have been a major talking
point during the NFL season as players have used the occasion to
take knees, sit or link arms during the song to protest about
racial inequality and police brutality in the U.S.
The protests have been criticized by the Trump Administration,
which has chosen to interpret the demonstrations as offensive to
the U.S. military.
Vice President Mike Pence walked out of an NFL game in
Indianapolis earlier this season when players protested during
the anthem.
The NFL previously announced that singer Justin Timberlake would
headline the halftime show.
The NFL also announced on Monday that Alexandria Wailes will
perform in American Sign Language both the national anthem and
"America The Beautiful."
The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on U.S. television,
drawing more than 100 million viewers.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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