6 Louisiana Artists Who Should Be Tapped For Super Bowl LIX Performances

Ledisi

Ledisi‘s voice is soulful, full of texture, and skrong. The Louisiana native has all the makings of an artist made to perform on the biggest stages possible, and the Super Bowl should be one of them.

The singer’s background in soul, R&B, and jazz make her one of the genre’s most impeccable voices. Having the New Orleans native sing “Lift Every Voice And Sing” at Super Bowl LIX would be a treat for her hometown and the world.

And she’s no stranger to big events like the Super Bowl. Ledisi oft-appeared across many televised White House performances when former president Barack Obama was in office. Additionally, she has shaken the stage throughout late-night television, snagging gigs on The David Letterman Show and Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Additionally, she showcased her powerhouse vocals in the Oscar-nominated movie Selma, where she portrayed vocalist Mahalia Jackson.

But wait, we’re not done. Ledisi is also a 14-time Grammy award-nominated artist. She won her first gold gramophone in 2021 for Best Traditional R&B Performance with “Anything For You.”

Aye Ledisi means “to bring forth” in Yoruba. So, let’s celebrate the queen by bringing a Super Bowl performance her way, because we all know Ledisi would smoke the Black National Anthem!

Jon Batiste

Jon Batiste‘s artistry is built from his Southern roots and unapologetic joy. Joy. Joy. Joy. And a Super Bowl in New Orleans needs that kind of energy.

Batiste headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show would be the most eclectic show in years. With Jon also having a deep love for social justice, the show could also be the most mentally stimulating. And if the pianist got that call, you know he’s going to ring up a few of his closest collaborators.

JB could play the bandleader role and orchestrate a love letter to Black music live from New Orleans. Contributions from collaborators, including The Roots, Common, Trombone Shorty, John Legend, Big Freedia, JID, and more, could take the show to another level. And hey, if he wants to tap into the international market with his show, he has Fireboy DML and K-Pop group NewJeans on standby.

Energy and soul aside, Jon Batiste has the accolades and honors to be considered for the big show. 2016 saw the musician become the musical director for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Jon also became the youngest Music Director of the National Memorial Day Concert for PBS. The musical mind can also say he’s both an Oscar and Grammy-winning artist.

If Jay-Z and Roc Nation are looking to change things up a bit from the pop-adjacent acts headlining the past four Super Bowls, Batiste may be your guy. 

Master P

If you’re looking for an extravagant party that aligns with Hip-Hop’s classic crossover appeal, we present to you, Master P. Percy could easily take center stage at Caesars Superdome with his cultural shifting hits and No Limit Records camp behind him. P’s performance would span decades, tapping into every ounce of success that he and his record label achieved. Better yet, this could be a memorable event if Miller specifically honed in on the spectacular 1998 run of his militaristic label.

A perfect example of this hypothetical performance was showcased at the 2023 BET Awards. P and his cohorts donned their signature army fatigues and stormed the stage, performing the hit song, “Make Em Say Uhh!” P’s background dancers could be seen doing drill sergeant exercises as they pumped up the crowd, hitting push-ups and jumping jacks.

Now picture this song, but on a massive scale, more time, budget, and rappers to hit the stage with the mogul. Going beyond “Make Em Say Uhh!,” fans could potentially see an array of contributions from artists like Silkk the Shocker, Mia X, Snoop Dogg, Romeo, Curren$y, Fiend, the newly released Mac, and more. Percy could even tap into his success with collaborators outside No Limit to grab at more mainstream nostalgia. Which could then lead to appearances from Montell Jordan, Trick Daddy, Bun B, Solange, E-40, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and more.

Master P’s No Limit became one of the catalysts for Southern Hip-Hop to begin its dominance in the genre. A Super Bowl performance for the commander-in-chief of the movement would be the perfect way to celebrate Miller and his expert branding’s continued impact on the culture and beyond.

Germaine Bazzle

Germaine Bazzle is one of New Orleans’ most influential jazz vocalists. She would be perfect to put a little (or a lot) of flavor on “The Star-Spangled Banner”, jazzing it up a bit.

Bazzle is a graduate of Xavier University and has been a music educator for the better part of her 91-year life. However, she is also a masterful musician who still hits notes and scats like it’s nobody’s business. Portraits of legends like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billy Eckstein can be seen when she sings on stage. Her musical influence can be best summed up as classic jazz, show tunes, and American standards, with a foundation in Gospel music. Bazzle is recognized in Louisiana as one of the best vocalists in the genre. And a trip to the Super Bowl is the least they can do to honor her legacy.

As a musician, Bazzle has shared the stage with critically acclaimed acts like Alvin “Red” Tyler, David Torkanowsky, Victor Goines, George French, pianist Ellis Marsalis, Peter “Chuck” Badie, Emile Vinnette, and more. Regardless of her otherworldly talents and opportunities, Bazzle found herself returning to the world of education. She currently helps out in the summer with the acclaimed Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp in New Orleans.

Germaine Bazzle could and should be considered to sing the National Anthem for the big game. The gesture would be a great way to honor a regional legend in her hometown.

Big Freedia

Aye, you can’t talk New Orleans or Louisiana without the mention of bounce music. Therefore, you have to consider Big Freedia for the Super Bowl.

A proud advocate and member of the LGBTQ+ community, Freedia has put on for her identity and city within her music. Songs like 2003’s “Gin In My System,” 2013’s “Gimmi Gimmi,” 2014’s “Explode,” “Drop” from 2016, and 2018’s “Karaoke” and “Rent” have helped establish New Orleans’ bounce scene as a budding national force. She has also been sampled across R&B and Hip-Hop for the past decade, her boisterous energy having been repurposed on tracks from Drake, Beyoncé, King Combs, Kodak Black, Boosie (how ironic), and even Lil Wayne. Every track and every sample proves that Freedia is a powerhouse in getting people out of their seats and moving.

Unfortunately, this selection could be a long shot due to the hyper-conservative market that backs the NFL. According to Open Secrets, NFL owners historically donate 9-1 to Republican politicians on average.

That said, the NFL also teamed up with GLAAD in 2022 to establish their “A Night of Pride” event ahead of the Super Bowl. The evening is intended to focus on LGBTQ+ inclusion in pro sports, as well as the “NFL’s commitment to LGBTQ players and fans,” ABC reports. Lance Bass of N’Sync, who came out as gay in 2006, hosted 2024’s iteration.

Booking Big Freedia would go a long way to show the initiative is more than just lip service, as her catalog and Louisiana roots garner her — at the very least — serious consideration. She could also show up in another artist’s set, which would still be major for representation and Big Freedia/bounce music’s legacy. 

Lil Wayne

And that show may be Lil Wayne‘s. Lil Wayne may be the No. 1 pick from Louisiana on everybody’s list for this Super Bowl. Proud football fanatic and a lover of both the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, Weezy would turn the Superdome upside down with his catalog and love for the pigskin. Wayne also has the same nostalgia factor as Usher, Rihanna, and 50 Cent and nem, and is still relevant today.

Lil Wayne began rapping at age 12. Many changes, growth, styles, and flows were used in developing his artistry. So, if done correctly, we could get a headlining Super Bowl Halftime Show that properly runs through Wayne’s career via hit songs. And he has tracks for every generation of Hip-hop fans to sink their teeth into. We’re talking “The Block is Hot,” “Go DJ,” “Fireman,” “Lollipop,” “A Milli,” “Drop The World,” “6 Foot 7 Foot,” “Uproar,” “No Frauds,” and more. And that’s just Wayne as a solo artist.

He could also turn his show into a Young Money/Cash Money celebration. Weezy could take the moment to honor those who helped him and who he helped put on. In this instance, fans would be treated to Birdman and Wayne together on stage for the first time in years. We could also get a Big Tymers moment to satisfy and check every nostalgia box. Fans would potentially be treated to that seemingly rare Hot Boys reunion with B.G., Juvenile, and Turk. And then we may head into the 2010s with the YM roster, including appearances from Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Lil Twist, Lil Chucky, Shanell, Cory Gunz, Tyga, and Mack Maine. Or maybe we get Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj–which the three of them have done multiple times in the past.

Additionally, T-Pain has stated that he would love to do the Super Bowl, so what if fans got a T-Wayne moment during the NFL‘s biggest night? The possibilities are endless with Weezy’s star power and prolific career. One thing is for certain though, if Hov and Roc Nation decide Lil Wayne is the direction they want to go in, Weezy isn’t short on material to work with.