Sparks’ singing career was launched after winning the sixth season of American Idol, one of the show’s highest rated seasons. Memorial Day weekend will not be the first time she has performed at the iconic race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). Sparks sung the National Anthem at the 99th Indy 500 race in 2015. Sparks has sold more than 10 million digital tracks in the U.S. She has also earned two BET Awards, one American Music Award and one People's Choice Award, and she has been nominated for a Billboard Award, a Dove Award, two MTV Awards and two Grammys. In 2023, she won a Dove, Billboard, and Grammy nomination for her No. 1 single with For King & Country, "Love Me Like I Am." Her latest single, "Call My Name," debuted at No. 29 on the Adult R&B Airplay hit list. “We know that Jordin’s voice and performance will deliver an emotional and stirring rendition of the national anthem as part of pre-race ceremonies for the Indy 500,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said in a news release about the performance. “The national anthem moment pays honor to the country we love, sets the stage for the hair-raising U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover and gets us one step closer to those final, dramatic and electric moments leading up to the start of the Indianapolis 500.” Sparks has added the role of social media influencer to her list of talents, which she has transitioned into television opportunities. She has been featured as a host or co-host on major programs, including: NBC's TODAY, ABC's Good Morning America and The View, CBS' The Talk, PBS' Great Performances (with John Lithgow) and others. Racing fans can watch live coverage of the Indianapolis 500 on NBC, beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 26. Viewers are also able to access INDYCAR content on streaming platform Peacock, as well as INDYCAR LIVE, the organization’s own streaming service, and on the INDYCAR mobile app.Grammy-nominated singer and actress Jordin Sparks is slated to sing the National Anthem before this year’s Indianapolis 500.
