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Coco Jones performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in the pre-show for the 2026 Super Bowl
Her look was a new imagination of Whitney Houston’s 1991 Super Bowl look
Jones tapped designer Karl Kani for the outfit
Coco Jones celebrated an icon in her 2026 Super Bowl performance.
To perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Jones stepped onto the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 8 wearing an all-white look designed by Karl Kani. There was a striking resemblance to the all-white outfit Whitney Houston wore to sing the National Anthem at the 1991 game.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in the lead-up to the game, Jones, 28, teased that the “homage” was coming. For her outfit, she tapped the “godfather of hip-hop” Karl Kani.
Together they came up with a cropped white jacket with a bedazzled stripe and a high-low bubble skirt with a massive train. The jacket’s accents featured a red, black and green stripe — the colors of the Pan African flag, fitting for Black History Month.
Whitney Houston at 1991 Super Bowl
Michael Zagaris/Getty
In 1991, Houston, who died in 2012 at age 48, wore a classic oversize white tracksuit with a red stripe. She also wore a white headband in her hair, and Jones matched the style this year.
Of his new design, Kani told Essence, “It kept that athletic feeling but elevated it into something elegant and dramatic.
“I’m excited for him to get to have his moment with this,” Jones told ET.
In addition to Jones, Brandi Carlile and Green Day performed during the pre-show. Charlie Puth sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and Bad Bunny is set to take the stage for the Super Bowl LX Apple Music Halftime Show.
In December 2025, the Bel Air star spoke to Apple Music about being selected to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
“I don’t know how to feel. I mean, I’m still shocked. It’s just surreal, my life sometimes. But I do think it’s an honor that, you know, they looked at me, and they said, ‘Yup, she can represent culture in this worldwide moment,'” said Jones at the time.
Coco Jones at 2026 Super Bowl
Neilson Barnard/Getty
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She added, “I don’t know, it’s just crazy and I’m super grateful about that.”
While Jones noted 2025 was “a great year,” she said she was looking forward to the future.
“I’m excited for next year and all of the new ways I will grow and the new blessings that will rain down. And, Lord I’m grateful!” said Jones.
See PEOPLE’s coverage of the 2026 Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, airing live on NBC on Sun., Feb. 8, from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
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