Beyoncé made a splash at an NFL halftime show on Christmas Day, an Alabama collaborator was right there with her.

Tiera Kennedy, a singer-songwriter from Gardendale, is featured on two tracks on “Cowboy Carter,” the blockbuster country crossover album that Beyoncé released last spring. The music and look of the album were on full display Wednesday as Beyoncé led the halftime show during a battle between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens, and so was Kennedy as a part of the large “Cowboy Carter” ensemble around the star.

The Associated Press reported that Beyoncé “provided more excitement that either game during Netflix’s NFL debut,” riding into her show on a white horse and bringing out special guests Shaboozey and Post Malone. The Houston appearance was a hometown show for Beyoncé.

The experience left Kennedy exuberant. On Instagram, she posted a photo of herself with Beyoncé and others in the show. She said, “‘take these broken wings and learn to fly’. man oh man. that’s what this entire year has felt like. thank you @Beyoncé for this incredible moment that i’ll cherish forever. for all the beautiful black girls out there, i hope you see this as a testament that you can be whoever you want to be and do whatever you set your mind to. Merry Christmas y’all.”

Following up in a Facebook post, Kennedy said the appearance capped off a year of highlights:

This year has been nothing short of life-changing, and I can’t help but sit back and feel so grateful for every single moment. Becoming an independent artist felt like stepping into the unknown, but it also felt like freedom. It gave me the chance to pour every piece of my heart into my music and y’all have shown me that it was worth it.

Singing on Cowboy Carter was such a blessing, being part of a cultural movement so much bigger than me. Then hitting the road, looking out into the crowd, and seeing your faces light up and hearing you sing my songs back to me. Those moments felt like everything I’ve ever worked for coming full circle.

Putting out my debut album, Rooted, was a milestone that felt like planting my dreams and watching them finally bloom. To finally share my story in a way that’s 100% me has been a dream come true. Each song is a piece of my soul and knowing they’ve found a home in your hearts means the world.

To top it all off, I ended the year standing right next to the one and only Beyoncé on Netflix!! I mean, what?! It’s still sinking in.

This year reminded me to trust the journey even when it feels uncertain. To everyone who’s listened, supported, or simply cheered me on from afar, thank you. Thank you for letting me live this dream. Here’s to the magic we’ll create together in the next chapter.”

The halftime show can be seen on YouTube. Kennedy makes her entrance early, as one of four vocalists who flank Beyoncé for her rendition of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” on the walk into the stadium. At the far right of the screen, she sings “Take these broken wings and learn to fly,” the same line that’s hers on the album version.

Netflix says the massive production involved a long list of special guests and “close to 200 members” of Texas Southern University’s “Ocean of Soul” Marching Band, and that it represents “the first live performance of songs from her genre-bending and record-breaking “Cowboy Carter” album.” It will be available for viewing on Netflix as a standalone special titled “Beyoncé Bowl.”

Kennedy has been pursuing a country music career for about eight years. Country Music Television listed her among its 2020 class of Next Women of Country. She released the album “Rooted” in October on her own Green is My Color label, after releasing a series of singles through a deal with Big Machine Label Group.