Multi-Grammy® Award-Winning Tori Kelly To Sing National Anthem At The 147Th Kentucky Derby

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Apr 26, 2021, 14:30 ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Churchill Downs Racetrack today announced that platinum, Grammy® Award-winning singer and songwriter Tori Kelly will sing the national anthem at the 147th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday, May 1, 2021.

The announcement occurs just as Tori is coming off of two collaborations with Justin Bieber. The powerhouse singer will perform The Star-Spangled Banner live at the Kentucky Derby. The performance will take place just after 5:00 p.m. EDT and be broadcast live as part of NBC's Kentucky Derby coverage.

"Tori Kelly is one of music's most vibrant, versatile artists, and we look forward to her national anthem performance as we come together this year to celebrate the Kentucky Derby," said Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. "We are excited to welcome Tori to Louisville to help us kick off the Run for the Roses on the first Saturday in May."

Two-time Grammy^® Award-winning and platinum-selling Tori Kelly debuted with 2015's breezy, soulful "Unbreakable Smile," which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2. In 2018, with her multi-octave range and emotional might, Tori took home two Grammys – Best Gospel Album and Best Gospel Performance/Song – for her passion project Hiding Place and the uplifting single "Never Alone." Most recently, she released her fourth full-length album, A Tori Kelly Christmas, in October 2020.

Tori is the eleventh major artist to perform the national anthem at the iconic horse race and first leg of the Triple Crown series. Past artists who have performed include Jennifer Nettles (2019), Pentatonix (2018), Harry Connick, Jr. (2017), Lady Antebellum (2016), Josh Groban (2015), Jo Dee Messina (2014), Martina McBride (2013) and Mary J. Blige (2012).

For More Information on Tori Kelly:
Official Website: www.torikellymusic.com
YouTube Page: www.youtube.com/ToriKelly
Facebook: www.facebook.com/torikellymusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/torikelly
Instagram: www.instagram.com/torikelly

About Churchill Downs Racetrack
The $3 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 1/4-mile race for three-year-olds is the longest continually-held major sporting event in North America and the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown series. Also known as "The Run for the Roses" and "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports," the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horserace in the nation. This year, the Kentucky Derby will take place on May 1, 2021. For more information, please visit www.KentuckyDerby.com.

SOURCE Churchill Downs Racetrack