Arlette Makes Prudential Center Home For Devils | FEATURE

A single spotlight shines and the organ starts playing. Seconds later, a powerful voice singing the National Anthem brings the feeling of home to Prudential Center. As Arlette Roxburgh’s voice rings throughout the building, it sets the stage for the main event, a New Jersey Devils hockey game. The crowd cheers off the smiling singer and it’s game time. These few minutes may seem like just another anthem performance, but for Devils fans, players, and staff, Roxburgh’s performance is always impactful.

“It’s always a great moment,” captain Nico Hischier explained. “You can get goosebumps for sure, especially when Arlette sings. You’re at home, it gets the crowd going, and it’s right before the puck drops so it’s always an intense moment.”

“You can definitely tell everyone knows who’s going when she goes up there,” Devils defenseman John Marino expanded. “It gives a little bit of juice and energy too. From being around the different rinks in the NHL, she’s obviously one of the best to do it, so it’s pretty cool to have her on our side."

“The National Anthem is really important for a hockey player, that’s the time you start focusing, you start thinking about what you’re going to do,” Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur reflected. “But it’s a moment where you know it’s game on … Usually the National Anthem sets the tone for how the game is going to go.”

Roxburgh has set a strong tone over the years even though she didn’t grow up in New Jersey or a hockey fan. The Trinidadian singer made her way to New York 30 years ago, and launched her singing career in New York City. She often sang at a restaurant on the Upper East Side and one summer’s day her voice captured the attention of someone who would change her path.

“In the summertime the doors were open and people would be walking past,” Roxburgh recounted. “One day this group came in, they were walking past while we were singing. They came in and they were hanging out and one of the people in the group was Lou Lamoriello. They started to keep coming back every so often and at that time we started to become friends.

“And then one day he said to me, ‘you know Arlette, I’m affiliated with this team. Do you know this team? Do you want to come sing the anthem for the team?’"

Arlette wasn’t familiar with ice hockey at the time, joking that the ice would melt in Trinidad where she’s from. But she was up for the experience and agreed to sing. Next thing she knew, she’s in a limo on the way to the arena to sing for the Devils on behalf of her friend Lou. When she arrived she learned the impact and importance of her friend quickly.

“Then I realized the person who’s coming to the dinners and hanging out with us is Lou,” she said. “We got there and everyone was like ‘Oh Lou!’ And we were like ‘what?!’ We didn’t even know! So it was pretty cool and I started doing it pretty regularly, and the fans appreciated the way I sang the anthem.

“One day Lou said ‘you know Arlette, a lot of teams have their own singer, would you like to be our singer?’” Arlette recounted. She went on to quickly say yes and the rest is history.

Now, 25 years later, Roxburgh is recognized as much as any player on the Devils and a key part of any home game at Prudential Center.

“Arlette’s kind of been the fabric of this New Jersey Devils organization for a long time and certainly anytime she comes out it’s exciting,” former Devil Ken Daneyko shared. “She’s such a wonderful person, first and foremost, has a beautiful voice. I caught her the last six years of my career when she became the main voice of the anthem before we went on the ice. It was always special, getting ready for a game, and knowing Arlette’s going to be out there pumping out the National Anthem and she’s fantastic.”

“It’s unbelievable to have someone sing the National Anthem for so long,” Brodeur also shared Daneyko’s sentiments. “Some great moments, some Stanley Cup games, some big games. I think just the comfort of having her singing the National Anthem, always put a smile on your face.”

The love is mutual, as Roxburgh feels honored the Devils fanbase and organization have embraced her so strongly over the 25 years.

“Throughout the years, the love the Devils fans have shown me, I will get emotional thinking about it,” Arlette explained. “The love the fans have shown me, all through the years, from the start 'til now. I love interacting with the fans, I love hearing the feedback. I love being the anthem singer for the Devils, I love the Devils fans. I’m hoping to be able to do this indefinitely, another 25 years.”

As Roxburgh continues to set the tone for the game and make Prudential Center feel welcoming for all Devils fans, she will continue to embrace the role she has as the anthem singer.

“I love this role that I have, making it feel like home, making Devils fans feel like home.”