There’s one other major player in this year’s Superbowl game you might have missed. No, it’s not Taylor Swift. We are talking about Tahj “Queen Tahj” Williams, a New Orleans–based artist renowned for her expressive Black Masking technique who has made history as the first to handcraft the Super Bowl logo and theme art. The art form is deeply rooted in the centuries-old Indigenous and African heritage of New Orleans, and Williams is showing the world her work.
As a member of the Golden Eagles Tribe, Williams was inspired at a young age by her uncle to master masking art. But it was a fellow “queen” — a female who holds a leadership position within a Black Masking tribe — who further led her to pursue her path as a distinguished tribe artist.
“The first time I saw a queen, it changed my whole world,” she says. “It was clear to me that I would soon be a part of that culture and that I would take it throughout my life and on every journey and path with me.”
The traditional Black Masking suit design is a fashion-inspired art derived from the Black and Native American Indians and originated as a celebration on the backstreets when people of color were excluded from mainstream Mardi Gras festivities. Crafting these ornate suits, central staple ensembles worn amid holidays like Mardi Gras, St. Joseph’s Night, and Super Sunday, takes up to a year of meticulous hand-sewing and intricate beadwork. Pulling reference from a traditional Black Indian suit and headdress, Williams’s original Super Bowl LIX theme art features a football image engulfed in an arrangement of bright suit feathers. At the same time, the logo showcases colorful architecture-inspired swirls.
“Every suit is different because each tells its own story,” she says.
And before you question your familiarity with Williams’ work, just know that you’ve probably already seen it. It was featured on everything from the digital game tickets, the official Super Bowl LIX program cover, and the exterior of the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, the young Queen’s logo and theme designs are all over the 2025 Super Bowl. But for Williams, it’s not just another corporate logo. The masker goes on to say that she sees her collaboration with the NFL as an opportunity to spotlight her heritage, the history of Black Masking art, and an opportunity to open the door for the next Black female creative to work with organizations like the NFL — a pivotal statement amid DEI’s downfall in most American corporate institutions.
“What I hope comes from this is seeing other local artists, other small artists, other Black women, get these kinds of big opportunities, and I hope this doesn’t just stop with me,” the New Orleans native says. “Moving forward, I hope an NFL or any other organization will shine a light on local talent because not everybody has a large following. To be able to get their art out there, sometimes you have to step out on faith, so I hope that the next big organization will take that chance.”
Below, Williams shares more about her artistry, heritage, and love of her city.
How did you end up landing this NFL gig? Did you grow up a football fan?
The NFL slid into my DMs. They reached out through inquiry as anyone else would, and it was really casual, but they made it seem like it was just a little project. It wasn’t until I got on the first Zoom call with the NFL that I realized the actual magnitude of the project. They also didn’t know about my connection to football, but I was the captain of the football team in middle school and I was the only girl on the team. I don’t think they knew that in the process of picking me, but the universe always works its way.
How does this specific design compare to your normal artwork and how did you want it to reflect the city and your own masking techniques?
I wanted the logo and the theme art to be the most authentic representation of what it means to be in our culture so I took the different aspects of what I would do with my suit, and I did it the same way on the Super Bowl logo and the theme art. People also forget about how deeply rooted architecture is in our history. So I also took pieces of our architecture from around the city and I incorporated that into the logo.
What has it been like to see your designs not only on Super Bowl apparel and merch but also flashed on New Orleans building landmarks?
I mean, it is one thing to say, “This will forever be a part of history,” but I think seeing this happen and unfold right before my eyes has been indescribable. Sometimes I get a little emotional to think about it because it’s always been about New Orleans culture for me, and it always will be. When I started on my journey, I didn’t know that it would take me here. Whatever opportunities come along with this will be great, and if nothing else comes from this, that’s fine, too. As long as I get to continue to make my suits and mask on Mardi Gras Day, I’ll be happy.
What are you looking forward to most about Super Bowl weekend?
There’s just so much happening, but I’m just trying to take it all in and I want the community and the people of the city to go out and enjoy the different activities going on around the city. I’m definitely looking forward to the media party, the Super Bowl parade … just going out and enjoying it. Hopefully they’ll be throwing some beads!
We can’t talk about the Super Bowl without asking: Who are you rooting for?
I don’t want anybody to think I’m biased or anything, but “Who Dat?” I root for my Saints. It’s not too late.
Are you excited for the Kendrick Lamar half-time show? (As a native New Orleanian, though, did you think it was going to be Lil Wayne)?
I am excited to see Kendrick. I really love his music a lot, and I think he’s going to put on a great show for us. Naturally, being from New Orleans and actually being from Holly Grove as well too, I would’ve loved to see Lil Wayne, but I still think Kendrick’s going to put on a great show.
Do you have an all-time favorite half-time show?
Beyoncé. I love her so much. I love everything about her. I love Beyoncé so much that I bought her most recent perfume and didn’t even know what it smelled like — I ordered it. I had no idea what it was going to smell. I was like, Whatever. It’s Beyoncé.
For those who have never been to New Orleans, what’s top on your list for doing NOLA right?
So I would say the first thing you have to do is some element of New Orleans culture, whether that’d be a second line on Sunday or you’re down during March to experience Super Sunday, where you’ll be able to see the Black Masking Indians, all of us. You have to go to Abstract Nola, which is a party slash event where they display local artists around the city, you have to get some kind of traditional food or a snowball — you have to get a snowball. One of my favorite treats are beignets and my favorite places to go for beignets is Monday’s where you get the sweet potato stuffed beignets. Have to get some crawfish or some boiled seafood, too. Another great cultural thing is the Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme so that you can see and learn about the history of different aspects of New Orleans culture from Black Masking to the second line.
This year will mark the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Living in the city today, how would you define the growth of the city since then, and are there still some things that remain the same?
New Orleans will look different in different aspects. Some of the landmarks and the things that we used to do or the food places we would visit may or may not be there still, but the culture is still here. As time goes on, you will have to make updates to infrastructure, you know, repave the streets, but I think the most important thing is New Orleans culture — it was here before Katrina and is still here today. It can be easy sometimes to focus on the negatives of our city, but let’s look at its beauty. I don’t know when the Super Bowl will come back or if it ever will, but New Orleans and its culture have a chance to shine during this Super Bowl.