When musician Laurin Talese takes center stage at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night, it will mark her first time at an NFL game.
Talese will perform "Lift Every Voice and Sing" ahead of the Cowboys vs. Eagles season opener, and while this is her first time at the stadium, she's far from a stranger to football.
From attending both Super Bowl Parades to tailgating in the lots, Talese has become a huge Eagles fan over the last two and a half decades in Philly, and Thursday will mark a big milestone for her.
"I'm feeling so excited and honored," Talese said. "I'm really excited to see what it's going to feel like. ... I love feeling the pulse of the city, but I've never been to a game. So, this is my entrance. This is my foray into real-life Eagles fandom, and being able to really be a part of it, like, what better way? It's kind of crazy, actually."
Talese has been singing since she was 7 years old and got her start in Philly by being a background singer. She watched from afar and felt like she could do it herself, so she took the leap.
Now, she has performed her jazz, traditional pop, folk, and soul music all around the world, from places like Africa to Ukraine. Her album "Gorgeous Chaos" reached No. 14 on Billboard Magazine's Traditional Jazz Album charts.
But as unique as those experiences were, Thursday will have a special place in her heart.
"It's pretty up there," Talese said on where this performance will rank for her. "I've been able to perform all around the world ... but this is a rare opportunity because it's in the city where I've called home for 25 years. It's for a team that I love and that I've supported and I've seen win and seen overcome hurdles and challenges."
Talese moved to Philadelphia in 2000 to attend University of the Arts, and she never left. Originally from Cleveland, Talese fell in love with Philly when she first visited in 1999. The color, diversity, and how much the city embraced the arts struck her immediately.
The people also stood out.
"What's kept me here is the glamour and grit," Talese said. "I think we have some of the most beautiful, soulful residents in this city with hearts of gold who will tell you about themselves and who are real and blunt. And I love that in a world where you don't know what's real and what's fake.
"But also in that there's just so much beauty – the architecture and beautiful murals and art all around the city. World-class art in every medium: films and music and fine arts and dance. It's just overflowing with a lot. I've traveled all over the world, but it's still one of my favorite cities in the world."
Throughout the years, Talese has worked tirelessly to hone her craft. It's something she prides herself on and has drawn her to become such a big fan of Jalen Hurts because of the similarities with which they carry themselves.
"(I) love Hurts," she said. "I just love his ethos. I love how laser-focused he is. I love that he has so much integrity, and he's intentional. And I love the standard to which he holds himself. As a musician myself, I'm also really into the process. … I've been studying music my entire life, and when I have performances and evaluate how I feel about them, I'm equally as laser-focused on what I can do better and how I can improve and just being my best self and not measuring myself up against anybody else."
Talese performed "Lift Every Voice and Sing" with the Philadelphia Orchestra during the pandemic and that's when the Eagles took notice. It was pure shock when she found out she'll be performing at the opener, and she'll have the help of her college friend, Adam Blackstone, who is providing the musical arrangements for her.
"I am going to sing my butt off," she said. "I'm going to have so much passion and pride just about how far this team has come. Just watching it up close and having been a part of all the celebrations, like being out in the middle of the night in Center City, driving down, wearing your gear, having been a part of that for both of the recent Super Bowls, it just adds more to what it will feel like. I'm going to be really emotionally charged and sing it from my heart." — Written by Matt Ryan
