In the first public appearance for 'Dreamgirls' star, three months after her mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson, and nephew Julian King were found tragically murdered in their Chicago home, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has been enlisted by NFL to sing the national anthem at the 1st February festivities to be held in Tampa, Fla.

It is everyone's expectations that Hudson will rival Whitney Houston's rendition of 'The Star Spangled Banner' back in 1991, when the Super Bowl was played against the backdrop of the start of the first Gulf War. Houston 's performance released as a single, went on to reach Billboard's Top 20, with Houston making her movie debut the following year in 'The Bodyguard'.

Springsteen, who won an Oscar in 1993 for 'Streets of Philadelphia ' from the film ' Philadelphia ', also has a performance scheduled during the half-time show.

Not the only Oscar winner to sing at the Super Bowl, Hudson joins ranks with Cher whose performance in 'Moonstruck' won her an Oscar for Best Actress and who sang the national anthem at 1999 Super Bowl. The following year saw Phil Collins performing at half-time, just weeks before he won an Oscar for 'You'll Be In My Heart' from 'Tarzan'. Paul McCartney, also performed in the half-time show in 2005, and together with the other three Beatles i. e. George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr went on to won the 1970 original song score Oscar for 'Let It Be'. Last but not least, Prince, who won in 1984 for 'Purple Rain', performed in the half-time show in
2007.