Presidential National Anthem singer, actress, recording artist, Mary Millben recently sat down for an interview with Breitbart News Entertainment Editor Jerome Hudson where she reflected on her life and described her journey as being blessed by God for calling her to her vocation. Mary has traveled all around the world, exposing audiences to her amazing rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” She’s performed in front of four consecutive presidents and will likely make that number five in just a few weeks when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated.
“Of the blessings of God and the blessings of this country, my life is truly the American dream, as many of our lives are,” Mary said. “When we look, we see not only the hand of God over our lives, but we see also the blessings and the benefits that we’ve received by being an American citizen.”
Breitbart News Entertainment Editor Jerome Hudson recently sat down with Mary Millben — a self-described “Breitbart girl” — who spoke first and foremost about God and country, and how they are the prime inspirations in her life. Few would believe that a woman who’s enchanted audiences from packed NFL stadiums in the U.S. to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, once suffered from stage fright. Indeed, Mary recalls being “very fearful to be on stage as a child, and certainly as a young teen.” She credits her “hero,” her mother, a retired music pastor, for forcing her on stages and places that were uncomfortable.
“We had to sing in choir and on praise teams and so I had to learn how to get over that stage fright rather quickly because that was never going away,” Mary told Hudson during the interview. “But I thank God for my mom because she was perhaps forcing me on stages and in places and spaces that were uncomfortable because she saw the call of God on my life.”
Millben then explained the history behind her version of the national anthem, stating it was at church that she came across the rendition she now performs for the leaders of the free world.
“Our church would put on Broadway shows, almost — we had a very robust music and fine arts ministry and production team,” she said. For one July 4th performance, her mother wanted her to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” arrangement by Sandi Patty, which was memorably performed during the 1986 centenary of the Statue of Liberty.
“She wanted me to sing her arrangement, which is the arrangement that I actually sing now, for President Trump and for previous presidents, and it’s a very tough arrangement because of all the levels of octaves and high points,” the singer explained. “I was excited about singing it,” she recounted to Hudson, “but I didn’t at all know at the time that that would become a career, of singing the anthem. But I would say that that moment doing the anthem at that age, it started my love for patriotism.”
How did Millben get involved with politics? It all started when she was a participant in Oklahoma Girls State during her high school years and was picked to attend Girls Nation in D.C.
“It was my first time visiting the White House and it was the first president that I was blessed to meet at the time,” she said. “President Clinton was in the White House, and I remember we were all standing in line to go and meet the president.”
Mary is also very excited about Trump being our next president.
“I’m just happy that he and the first lady have been blessed with another opportunity to serve the country,” she remarked during the conversation. “The policies of the four years of the president were best for America and the policies that are already in motion are going to be better.”
“He’s a different man because of what he experienced, the assassination attempts on his life,” Millben said of the president-elect. “I certainly see, firsthand, how it has made him a different man — he’s so much more bold to speak out about God and his faith and his journey of faith. It’s been really encouraging for me, and I know it has been for the country and your listeners, to see the president get up and admonish the Lord and his walk with God.”
While her appearance has not yet been confirmed for the inauguration, she’s hoping Trump will choose her to perform the national anthem at the event.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” holds a special place in Millben’s heart — she has performed it at numerous sports and political events — and she’s glad the cancel campaign against the anthem appears to be finally over.
“I was not only frustrated. I was moved to anger, which of course I had to repent to the Lord, in my anger, but I tell you, I was angry to see people who disrespected the anthem, disrespected the flag, disrespected our country,” she explained.
“I feel now we have turned a corner, thankfully,” she stated later on, “and there is a reverence again for love of country and pride and putting your hand on your heart and singing the anthem or ‘God Bless America’ or those patriotic songs.”
Millben referred to her performance at the Trump Madison Square Garden as one of the highlights of her career.
“Having a debut at Madison Square Garden was such a big deal for me personally, but then having a debut at Madison Square Garden in support of President Trump and it being right before election day was incredible,” she said, noting the venue was filled to capacity with people “from every walk of life and every culture, every age.”
“I’ve just been really lucky,” she concluded. “The Lord dropped me into a music career singing the national anthem, patriotic music, songs that just reinforce everyday service, and that has been, I think, the greatest part of this life. It’s something that I genuinely love to do.”
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