Rising Musical Artist Kels Delivers Viral National Anthem Performance at 2024 NFL Draft Kickoff
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The 2024 NFL Draft Kickoff, held at Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit on April 25, drew tens of thousands of football fans from across the country to celebrate the league’s biggest annual rookie recruitment event, and one of the most talked-about moments of the opening ceremony came from rising musical artist Kels, who delivered a showstopping performance of the U.S. National Anthem that immediately went viral across social media platforms.
Kels, a 26-year-old independent R&B and pop artist who first gained mainstream attention last year when her debut single "Half Light" spent 12 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, was personally invited by NFL executives to kick off the three-day draft event after league officials saw her sold-out hometown show in Detroit earlier this year. For her performance, Kels opted for a stripped-back arrangement, accompanied only by a single pianist, letting her rich, soulful vocals take center stage instead of the overproduced, run-heavy interpretations many artists bring to the National Anthem at major sports events.
Footage from the event shows the entire packed crowd standing at attention throughout the 2-minute 45-second performance, with several top 2024 draft prospects including projected first overall pick Caleb Williams caught on camera singing along to the lyrics. When Kels hit the final high note of the anthem, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers that lasted for nearly a full minute, with many fans chanting her name as she waved and exited the stage.
Within 2 hours of her performance, clips of Kels’ National Anthem set had amassed more than 12 million views across TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, with the official NFL account sharing the full video to its 68 million followers with the caption "One of the most powerful National Anthem performances in Draft history." Kels later took to her own social media accounts to express her gratitude, writing, "I grew up watching the NFL Draft with my dad every year, so getting to perform here in my home state of Michigan is a dream I never thought would come true. Thank you to every fan who sang along with me tonight, you all made this moment perfect."
Featured Comments
As a lifelong Lions fan who drove 3 hours to be at the draft kickoff, I can promise you Kels’ National Anthem hit even harder in person. The whole stadium went dead silent when she hit that high note, and everyone was cheering so loud by the end I could barely hear myself think. She deserves all the recognition coming her way!
I’ve been following Kels since her first viral TikTok cover two years ago, and seeing her perform on a stage as big as the NFL Draft is so surreal. She didn’t overdo the runs like so many artists do with the National Anthem, she honored the song while still adding that signature soulful tone that makes her stand out. 10/10 no notes.
Covered the NFL Draft for 8 years and this is easily top 3 National Anthem performances I’ve ever seen at the event. You could tell how genuine her excitement was the entire time, and the crowd’s reaction said it all. Would love to see her back for a Super Bowl pregame show in the next few years.