Selena Gomez is set to perform during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime show on Thanksgiving Day.
The 21-year-old, who is from Grand Prairie, Texas, will headline the Dallas Cowboys’ halftime show when the former Super Bowl champs take on the Oakland Raiders for their traditional Thanksgiving Day game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“I’m so excited to be here,” Gomez told the press at the official announcement on Sunday. “I’m from Texas, so I’m a little nervous, I’m not going to lie. But I’m very honored and I hope that we come—me, my dancers and my band—and we give Texas a really good show and I make them proud.”
The former Disney star is also part of that tradition, as she grew up watching the Dallas Cowboys play on the Thanksgiving Day game every year.
The event will also be the kick off to the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle campaign. This year marks the 17th time the Salvation Army and the Cowboys have teamed up for the charitable program.
The campaign has collected $1.75 billion since it was started in 1977, according to the the Dallas News .
The Salvation Army’s community relations and development secretary, Ron Busroe, says it will be difficult to top 2012 contributions, since there are fewer day between Christmas and Thanksgiving this year.
Fun hangin w/ @DallasCowboys & @SalvationArmyUS ! Join my #OnlineRedKettle team & help raise money 4 these awesome kids http://t.co/OxMsIrhjeZ
— Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) November 4, 2013
Last year, country music star Kenny Chesney helped to kick off the drive which brought in $148.7 million.
However, Busroe praised Selena Gomez because of her other charitable endeavors:
“Selena certainly is committed,” Busroe said. “I mean, with her work with UNICEF, her work in trying to bring awareness particularly to children around the world, fits in perfectly with the Salvation Army.”
Charlotte Jones Anderson, the Cowboys’ chief brand officer, who is also the daughter of team owner Jerry Jones, says of Selena Gomez:
“She is a triple threat. She is a fabulous actress. She is a great recording artist, multi-platinum, and she is launching her first world tour.”
Selena Gomez is said to be reviewing old half-time performances to prepare for her own show:
“I’m trying not to think about it too much,” Selena Gomez said. “I’m just trying to make it the best it can be. It means a lot more to me I think.”