An important part of every Vikings home game is the performance of the national anthem; a lot of thought goes into the decision of who belts their voice to nearly 70,000 fans.

A staple in the anthem rotation for the last three Vikings seasons is Monique Blakey. The St. Paul native was performing in bands locally around the Twin Cities when one day in 2023, she got an unexpected email.

"I thought it was a hoax, not going to lie. I never reached out to them, so I was like, 'Is this real?' and I responded in hopes that it was...and it was. They had heard an old video of me singing online," said Blakey.

The Minnesota Vikings wanted Blakey to perform the national anthem at least once a season. It turned into an opportunity that changed her life.

"Wow, it has completely transcended me into a

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