Nicole Scherzinger has countless accolades to her name. The Grammy-nominated singer and actress found fame with the Pussycat Dolls, and has taken her talents to Dancing with the Stars, The Masked Singer, and the Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard (the role earned her a Tony Award).
On May 1, she returned to her hometown of Louisville to sing the National Anthem at Churchill Downs. On the eve of theKentucky Derby, the storied track hosts the Kentucky Oaks, a race for 3-year-old fillies. Fans in attendance wear pink, and the event raises awareness for women’s health issues, including breast cancer.
Before the call to post, Nicole stepped up to the mic to sing the Star-Spangled Banner. As is tradition for the Oaks, she wore head-to-toe pink for the occasion. She paired an off-the-shoulder pink wrap dress with a matching fascinator.
The Kentucky Derby shared a video of Nicole’s performance on Instagram, and the post was showered with praise for her vocals. “Incredible!!! Gave me goosebumps 💗,” one viewer wrote. “Best national anthem ever,” another declared. One commenter said, “Spectacular! Beautifully sung.”
The Kentucky Derby airs on May 2, and the University of Louisville Cardinal Singers and the UofL Cardinal Marching Band will sing “My Old Kentucky Home” before the race. Blues rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band will have the honor of singing the National Anthem. Tune in to NBC or Peacock at around 5 p.m. EST to see their performance.
Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers pop culture news including country music, Yellowstone, and all things HGTV, plus gift guides and product reviews. She has been with Country Living for more than 11 years. Before that, she worked for Southern Living. The Indiana University grad also stitches up the cross-stitch pattern for every issue of the magazine.
