American singer-songwriter and actress Coco Jones is set to sing her rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is often considered a “Black National Anthem” in United States culture, for Super Bowl LX.
The song, originally written in 1900 as a poem by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson, was often sung during the Civil Rights Movement as a rallying cry for Black Americans.
Here’s everything you need to know about Coco Jones.
Get to Know Coco Jones
GettyCoco Jones is introduced during the Super Bowl LX Pregame & Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Press Conference.
Born on January 4, 1998, in Columbia, South Carolina, Jones aspired to be a singer and actress and quickly rose to fame when she landed the lead role in 2012 in the Disney kids’ movie Let It Shine at the age of 13.
Since then, Jones has starred on the Peacock Original series Bel-Air as Hilary Banks and was awarded a Grammy for Best R&B Performance for “ICU.” She’s also released her first studio album, Why Not More? back in April 2025.
Now, Jones is set to sing while millions are watching, and she understands what’s at stake and talked about her thought process during the Apple Music Super Bowl 60 show press conference:
“Something that I like to do to really understand the gravity of what I’m doing and what I am representing is to look at the history of how ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ even came into fruition from poetry to being the song that became a staple for our culture.”
Jones also added that she believes this is more about the message than herself. “Being able to have this light on the culture is a moment in itself. I’m just the vessel that is able to represent what this means to the culture.”
Jones also sought advice from Alicia Keys, who became the first artist to sing the rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for the NFL back in 2000. “She just told me, ‘Don’t be nervous, be in the moment,” Jones said. “That meant a lot coming from her.”
Current Relationship
Coco Jones is engaged to Cleveland Cavaliers NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell, but the story of how they came to be actually stems from a familiar face in the NFL.
New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson and wife Ciara helped set up the couple, who also played Cupid to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf and singer Normani.
With the couple getting engaged back in July, Wilson left a heartfelt message. “Ciara and I are so happy for you two lovebirds. Thanks for allowing us to plan this with you Spida.”
Mitchell also wasn’t shy about expressing what Jones means to him. “That’s my dawg. I love her to death,” Mitchell said. “She’s amazing. She’s an amazing human being. She brings me peace… She is a special human and you see it in her work. To be able to call her my fiancée, my wife, is a blessing. I’m grateful.”
It’s an exciting year for Jones to say the least, and she’s ready to take the stage on Sunday.
Coco Jones: Who Is the ‘Lift Every Voice & Sing’ Black National Anthem Performer at SB LX