Lady Gaga brought a powerful mix of nostalgia and heart to Super Bowl Sunday with a moving new cover of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”, the beloved theme song from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
The Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist’s reimagined version of the classic tune debuted during a Super Bowl XL commercial for real estate and finance company Rocket, along with its home-search platform Redfin. The emotional ad highlights everyday Americans showing kindness to one another through simple, meaningful acts—echoing the values championed by Fred Rogers for generations.
Ahead of the broadcast, Gaga shared a behind-the-scenes video explaining why the song resonated so deeply with her. She praised the late television icon for building a career rooted in empathy, education, and compassion.
“Mr. Rogers was so clearly someone who stood for something,” Gaga said. “It’s powerful to think about what he might say right now. This is a special song to revisit at this moment in time. I wanted to keep the purity and beauty of the original, while creating something heartfelt in a new way.”
Gaga also reflected on watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a child, noting how meaningful the show was for kids and families alike. In an Instagram post promoting the song, she called Rogers “a heartfelt presence for children and families all over the world,” whose influence continues long after his death in 2003.
Fred Rogers’ widow, Joanne Rogers, previously spoke about her husband’s enduring legacy in a 2019 interview She said she believed his philosophy of kindness continues to live on through others who share his values. Joanne Rogers died in 2021.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which aired from 1968 to 2001, remains one of the longest-running and most celebrated children’s programs in television history. Over the years, Rogers received numerous honors, including a Peabody Award, a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Gaga has long championed similar ideals. In 2011, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, launched the Born This Way Foundation, which focuses on empowering young people and supporting mental health through kindness and community.
The Super Bowl release comes just one week after Gaga’s major wins at the 2026 Grammy Awards, where she took home honors including Best Pop Vocal Album for Mayhem and Best Dance Pop Recording for “Abracadabra.”
Gaga’s cover of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” was created in collaboration with musician Alex Smith and producer Benjamin Rice, her frequent collaborator on hits like “Rain On Me.”
The touching rendition can be heard in full in the Super Bowl commercial that aired Sunday