If you found yourself watching the latest Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Houston Texans recently, then you may recall one undeniably gorgeous face on the field moments before kickoff: Norelle Simpson. And if you didn’t, allow us to make a formal introduction.
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Simpson was tapped to sing the “Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the NFL Wild Card game on Monday. And as we all know, despite the song’s popularity—it isn’t the easiest to belt out (just ask Fergie, if you, you know). Thankfully for all of us watching at home and the thousands there in the stadium, they would be in for a treat the moment that Simpson hit the first note .
Don’t believe us? Watch for yourself below.
What did we tell you?! Flawless, right? Nothing but good, clean and crisp vocals from start to finish. So who exactly is Norelle Simpson?
Well, she’s a years-long singer songwriter who’s collaborated with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Alicia Keys, Rihanna, and Jennifer Lopez—the latter two of which she had the honor of performing alongside them for their respective Super Bowl Halftime Show performances in 2023 and 2020. She also spent some extra time with Rih-Rih as a backup vocalist for her tour years prior.
And while Simpson is clearly no stranger to the NFL stage, this most recent performance marked her first ever Monday Night Football game and her first ever Playoff game, as she explained in an Instagram post sharing the news of her appearance.
On a personal note, Simpson is a Cleveland native who grew up singing in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus before eventually attending John Carroll University, per Essentially Sports. She’s married to drummer Chris Johnson and the two welcomed a son together in 2022.
Musically, Simpson has a handful of singles, one album and EP available for folks who are fan of her vocal prowess—and after this national anthem performance, we can bet those streaming numbers will shoot up quickly. Plus, one look at social media and it’s clear fans are eager to learn and hear more from her.
“I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT. That’s talent right there,” wrote one user on TikTok.
“Who the hell is she? She sang that song so beautifully,” asked another.
One other user issued high praise, commenting: “YESSS ma’am, whomever is singing at the Superbowl they need to just go on and replace with you ma’am!!! The best rendition I have heard since Whitney!”
As another commentator put it, “She needs to sing at every single event.”
Straight From 
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