Who is Tori Kelly? Meet pop star, actress signing national anthem before Game 1 of 2026 NBA Finals

Just hours before tipoff of Game 1 between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks in the 2026 NBA Finals, the league announced singer and actress Tori Kelly would be performing the national anthem.

Many fans have been flocking to find out who Kelly is and what some of her best works are. While she is most renowned for her gospel work, she has had her fair share of pop music and performances on the big screen.

Here's a rundown on who Kelly is and some of her biggest songs and movies.

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Who is Tori Kelly?

Tori Kelly is a three-time Grammy-winning musician, according to the award's site. She has won 2025 Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella (Bridge Over Troubled Water), and the 2019 Best Gospel Album (Hiding Place) and Best Gospel Performance/Song (Never Alone). Across her career, she has six total nominations.

Kelly has also notably been featured in both Sing and Sing 2, two movies about animals who discover their singing talents. She plays the character Meena, an elephant who has stage fright but learns not to let it get in her way.

The artist has also supported the Child Hunger Ends Here program to raise awareness about child hunger in America. In 2013, she released "Fill A Heart," a song that raised proceeds for the organization.

On June 3, Kelly is slated to sing the national anthem ahead of Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals.

National Anthem and starting lineup presentations will be fully integrated into ABC telecasts, enhancing the scale and energy of the Finals opening moments, including a Game 1 performance by singer, songwriter, producer and actress Tori Kelly. pic.twitter.com/aB92EMt8Rw

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What does Tori Kelly sing?

Kelly first burst onto the scene during the ninth season of American Idol. After she got a following from the show, she released her first EP two years later, called Handmade Songs.

Here are some of the artist's biggest hits as of June 2026, according to her Spotify page:

• I Was Made For Loving You, 307M plays
• Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing, 129M plays
• I Say A Lil Prayer (with Pharrell Williams), 70M plays
• There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back, 66M plays

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What movies has Tori Kelly been in?

Kelly is most known for her two roles in the Sing series. In Sing and Sing 2, she voices Meena, a singing elephant.

According to Sing's Wiki page, Meena is best described as "a sweet, timid, and soft-spoken teenage elephant with an amazingly beautiful singing voice." However, the character suffers from stage fright and must overcome it to find success.

She also appeared in the movie "Jerry & Marge Go Large" and the TV shows "Rugrats" and "The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo."

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Is Tori Kelly a Spurs fan

It does not appear that Kelly supports the San Antonio basketball franchise. She is from Canyon Lake, Calif. Patrick Wilson, the drummer for the band Weezer, also lives in this town.

The closest basketball teams to her would have been either the Los Angeles Lakers or Clippers. There is no public record of her supporting either franchise.