Boyz II Men will sing the national anthem at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas, PEOPLE can exclusively reveal.
The group is very familiar with Las Vegas, having stayed at several hotels on the Strip over the years, but this time it will actually be on the Strip, singing the opening song at the start of the 3.8-mile course on November 23rd. (No word yet on what happens when they reach the end of the road.)
“I’m not sure if F1 ever got to hear the Boyz II Men anthem, but we’re told it’s pretty sexy,” joked Wanya Morris. “I don’t know if you should feel this way, but I hear it’s a good night.”
The “On Bended Knee” singers will belt out the “Star-Spangled Banner” from the “hot track” just before the drivers fire up their engines and begin hurtling through the streets of Las Vegas at speeds in excess of 200 mph.
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“This experience will be taken and remembered for years to come,” Morris said, adding that for the group, the upcoming F1 gig is on par with their performances at the 1998 Super Bowl and the 1996 Olympic Closing Ceremony.
“It’s something to tell our grandchildren,” he added.
A view of the track ahead of the 2023 F1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas.
Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty
In a weekend full of music’s top stars, Ludacris, a man who knows a thing or two about life on the fast (and furious) track, will headline the stage inside the T-Mobile Zone on Saturday, November 23rd until lights out on the track.
The T-Mobile Zone, located in the eye-popping Sphere and home to players 6 to 9 during the race, will also host performances from One Republic, Alesso, alternative The Beaches and electronic duo Chromeo.
“Vegas is such a unique and different place for F1 to host the annual race,” Alesso told PEOPLE. “Them racing at night under the bright lights of Vegas down the Strip is a spectacle you can only expect in Vegas.”
No stranger to the city, the deejay has had several residency gigs in nightclubs and has often played at the Electronic Daisy Carnival music festival. However, he considers F1 to be an “important cultural moment”.
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“F1 always brings together so many different types of people who have an intrinsic love for the sport and cars. Music is also a great connector of people,” he said. “I think the crossover between all these different types of fans for this big takeover of Vegas is going to make it a really fun time of the weekend.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education