Smolin partner Sergio Ruta’s daughter, Juliana Ruta, had the privilege of singing backup for Queen Latifah during Super Bowl XLVIII. Juliana is a member of the New Jersey Youth Chorus, a group comprised of 72 girls in grades seven through twelve. The invitation came as an unexpected surprise to both the girls and artistic director/founder, Trish Joyce.
Over 100 million viewers tuned in to watch the game, making the game the most watched television program in U.S. history. “It was the most exciting experience I’ve ever had. It was surreal and I still can’t believe it happened” said Juliana.
Watch the performance here.