LYNN — Amanda Mena, 17, hit another major milestone in her young musical career Sunday night when she sang the national anthem to kick off the New England Patriots’ season.
The St. Mary’s High School junior said before the game that it was going to be one of the biggest crowds for which she’s ever performed. She said she was “over the moon” when she was asked to sing during the nationally televised Sunday Night Football game between the Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers, during which the championship banner for the team’s win in the Super Bowl last February was to be unfurled.
“I’m very grateful (and) very excited to feel the energy of the stadium and it’s a great opportunity,” Mena said. “Being from New England, it’s just a privilege to be here and be able to see the Pats and sing our national anthem.”
Not only was it her first time singing the anthem at Gillette Stadium, but it was her first time attending a Patriots game.
It’s been a whirlwind for the Lynn teenager since June 2018 when she auditioned for America’s Got Talent in front of celebrity judges Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell and former Spice Girls member Mel B., and finished as a semifinalist on the show.
She’s since landed a recording contract and performed during the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.
Following Sunday’s game, her focus for this week will shift to performing during the 9/11 ceremony in downtown Boston and then the National Women’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in New York on Sept. 14.
Mena said fans should also be on the lookout as she plans to release new music “very soon.”
It can be challenging to balance being a high school student with an active music career, but Mena said St. Mary’s understands her career and helps out by providing a plan that allows her to remain focused on school.
