Who sang the national anthem at the Sugar Bowl for Notre Dame-Georgia?

The Allstate Sugar Bowl was initially supposed to be played as the final College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup on New Year's Day between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs. After the horrific attack in New Orleans' French Quarter early on Jan. 1, however, the decision was made by bowl officials, law enforcement, and government officials to delay the game to Thursday, Jan. 2.

Now, the Sugar Bowl has its own spot on Jan. 2 and we should be in for a treat for college football fans. Notre Dame blasted Indiana to advance past the First Round of the CFP but Georgia is a much bigger and more daunting task, even without Carson Beck after his elbow injury suffered in the SEC Championship Game, thrusting unproven Gunner Stockton into the spotlight.

In the wake of the tragic attack in New Orleans that left more than a dozen dead and many more injured, though, there will certainly be a somber tone in the Mercedes Benz Superdome at times and we will certainly have moments to honor those who passed away in the attack. That will also likely make this the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal in which ESPN will broadcast the national anthem.

That, naturally, always raises the question of who is singing the Sugar Bowl national anthem. We have the answer for you, especially considering it might not be the most household name.

Who is singing the Sugar Bowl national anthem for Notre Dame-Georgia?

New Orleans native Samyra Miller will be performing the national anthem at the Sugar Bowl by singing the Star-Spangled Banner ahead of Notre Dame facing Georgia. New Orleans is one of the most culturally-rich cities in the United States and music has long been deeply entrenched in teh culture. So to see a native of the city be given this opportunity despite not being of huge notoriety in the music world is an awesome touch for the Sugar Bowl to pull off.

Get to know more about Samyra Miller before she sings the Sugar Bowl national anthem

As mentioned, Miller isn't a huge musical artist that you might be aware of from scrolling through Spotify. However, her story is quite remarkable in its own right — and she certainly has plenty of people who follow here.

Specifically, Samyra is billed by some as a social media influencer as she boasts an Instagram following of 458,000+, which pales in comparison to the more than 2 million followers she has on TikTok. Her platform on IG and other various social media platforms has garnered her recognition as a voice for size inclusivity and as a fashion influencer as well.

Beyond that, she's also lived a fascinatingly fun life. She played defensive tackle for her high school football team in Louisiana, graduated from Harvard with a degree in sociology and educational studies, and has performed the national anthem at numerous big events previously as well, incluing at the Superdome for a New Orleans Saints game in early 2024. Not bad for someone who's only 26 years old!