Witnesses, or rather listeners, were left in awe by Jackson Dean Nicholson, a senior defensive end at Arundel High School in Maryland. However, it wasn’t his in-game prowess that left everyone astounded; rather, it was his impromptu rendition of the national anthem before a game—an unexpected surprise that resonated positively with the audience.

Nicholson found himself in a situation where no one had prepared to sing the national anthem, and the school couldn’t play a recording over the loudspeakers or rely on the crowd. In that moment, he faced a singular decision.

Despite lacking professional preparation for such a performance, armed only with an acoustic guitar and navigating the pre-game stress, Nicholson delivered one of the most impressive versions of the U.S. national anthem ever heard. The video of his spontaneous performance in 2018 went viral, propelling him to internet stardom.

Reflecting on the experience, Nicholson, who later adopted the stage name Jackson Dean, shared with the Baltimore Sun, “It was very cool. I probably knew 90 percent of the people sitting in those stands, and they had no idea I was doing it ’til I brought my guitar out.”

Music was already a familiar territory for Nicholson, as he had been writing and singing songs since his freshman year. Concurrently, he was working on his first album around the same time his viral video gained traction.

While pursuing his football career, Nicholson remarked in 2018, “This is my last year, then I’m done. I’ve got until January, I’ll have all my credits done, and I only have to be enrolled for this semester. I got a waiver by my principal and she’s very supportive of what I do. I’m going to go for it.”

Wishing Jackson the best of luck, and hoping that his extraordinary anthem performance marks just the beginning of his promising journey.