A new home. A new chapter for the Buffalo Bills. And a special moment for Auliʻi Cravalho.
The Hawaiian-born actress and singer took the field Thursday night to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Buffalo Bills hosted the Detroit Lions in the first regular-season game at the team’s brand-new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. For Cravalho, the moment carried significance beyond simply opening an NFL game.She became the featured performer of the U.S. national anthem for the Bills’ inaugural regular-season game at their new home, performing in front of a sold-out crowd as Buffalo officially began its next era inside the $2.1 billion stadium.
The Bills’ home opener also featured a second national anthem as part of a tribute to the team’s large Canadian fanbase. Toronto-based group Barenaked Ladies performed “O Canada” before Cravalho followed with the American anthem. And while plenty of people may know Cravalho first as the voice of Disney’s Moana, this moment was another reminder of the performer she has become in her own right. Cravalho rose to international recognition after making her acting debut as the voice of Moana in Disney’s 2016 animated film, later reprising the role in Moana 2. But her career has continued well beyond the Pacific Island heroine, including Broadway, television and film roles. Now, she can add another major stage to that list: the opening night of the Buffalo Bills’ new home.
The atmosphere inside Highmark Stadium was already historic before kickoff. The venue officially opened earlier this year and features a capacity of 60,108. Thursday’s Bills-Lions matchup marked its first regular-season NFL game, with Buffalo ultimately defeating Detroit 41-31. For Cravalho, though, the night was about the moment before the football even began. Standing on the field as the newest chapter of Bills football officially opened, she delivered the national anthem in front of more than 60,000 fans and millions watching from home. From Hawaiʻi to one of the NFL’s biggest stages, Auliʻi Cravalho was there to open a new chapter in Buffalo. And that is pretty special.
