Coco Jones delivered a powerful tribute to Black history and the legendary Whitney Houston during her Super Bowl 60 performance, merging cultural homage with a stunning fashion moment.
Stepping onto the stage to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Coco Jones did more than perform the Black National Anthem; she crafted a visual and vocal narrative that honored the past while firmly standing in the present.
Her look, a collaboration with iconic designer Karl Kani, served as the perfect visual metaphor. Coco appeared in a crisp, custom white ensemble featuring a cropped tracksuit jacket and a bubble mini skirt with a dramatic slit. The silhouette was an immediate and elegant nod to Whitney Houston’s legendary 1991 Super Bowl appearance, where Whitney Houston redefined national anthem performances in a simple, patriotic tracksuit. But Coco and Kani elevated the reference by transforming the athletic wear into high glamour, blending streetwear roots with red-carpet sophistication.
While Whitney Houston’s outfit featured classic red, white, and blue stripes, Coco Jones’s version carried a different palette on its sleeve, in shimmering red, black, and green stripes. These are the colors of the Pan-African flag, a symbol of Black liberation and unity. This deliberate choice linked Whitney Houston’s legacy of triumph to the broader, ongoing story of Black resilience and pride, especially poignant during Black History Month.
Coco’s beauty styling, crafted by makeup artist Diana Shin, completed the timeless vision. With pushed-back hair, a white headband, French tip nails, and soft ’90s nude glam, she channeled the effortless elegance of icons like Halle Berry and Nia Long. The entire aesthetic felt both nostalgic and freshly relevant, a celebration of Black beauty standards that have endured and evolved.
By pairing that performance with a fashion choice steeped in historical reverence, Coco Jones reminded viewers of Whitney’s vocal prowess and Karl Kani’s foundational role in shaping urban fashion.
