On February 8, 2026, the air at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, was thick with anticipation—not just for the clash between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, but for a pregame ceremony that promised to be as memorable as the game itself. As the crowd settled in, 44-year-old Brandi Carlile, one of America’s most celebrated vocalists and an 11-time Grammy winner, took center stage to deliver a stirring acoustic rendition of “America the Beautiful.”
Carlile, fresh off the release of her ninth studio album, Returning to Myself, embraced the moment with a mix of humility and resolve. “I have never been more ready to meet this moment…let’s make an arena feel like a living room,” she wrote on Instagram ahead of the performance, signaling both the magnitude of the occasion and her intent to connect with fans on a personal level. During a press conference for Apple Music, she reflected on the opportunity, noting, “One of the things I love about being in my 40s versus when I was given opportunities for big moments when I was younger is I would just disassociate from the pressure. But now, you get that superpower at this point in life. You calm down and centralize yourself. Be there. And actually experience these milestones in life.”
For Carlile, the performance was more than just another gig—it was a chance to honor the nation’s complex legacy and its ongoing journey. In an interview with Variety, she mused about the song’s resonance: “I don’t want to put words in [Katharine Lee Bates’] mouth; she was beyond brilliant. But it feels almost like she was feeling the way about the country when she wrote it that I’m feeling today singing it. Just this fragile hope, love and belief in where it could be, and acknowledging where it’s been, and acknowledging that we’re not there yet. And that’s what I think is so American about that song—that total celebration is not in order; that our prayers are still in order. But that the only way to move forward is with belief… And I think if we’re gonna save this country as a people, we have to be reminded on some level that deep down we love it.”
Carlile’s rendition was notable not just for her soaring vocals—she admitted to Variety that she placed the song in a key “right at the ceiling” of her range, promising to “come out swinging”—but also for its inclusivity. She was joined onstage by Julian Ortiz, a deaf artist who performed “America the Beautiful” in American Sign Language, ensuring the anthem’s message reached as many in the stadium and at home as possible. The performance was further enriched by the presence of SistaStrings, the string duo who added a melodically centered interlude as cameras cut to cityscapes of Seattle and New England, grounding the spectacle in both artistry and community.
“I would offer these songs and lyrics, as they are, up, with a sense of humility and hope but to also sing big and try and be a presence at the same time,” Carlile said, encapsulating the blend of modesty and ambition that has defined her career. She acknowledged the diversity of the night’s music lineup—Bad Bunny, Charlie Puth, Coco Jones—and celebrated its reflection of America itself: “It looks exactly like America! It looks exactly like the United States. It looks like the players on the field, and it looks like the people that are watching the sport. And that’s how it should look, with a lot of demographics represented, and a lot of enthusiastic people excited to celebrate a huge game on a unifying day.”
The evening’s pageantry didn’t end with Carlile’s performance. Green Day, the iconic rock band that shot to fame from San Francisco with their 1994 album Dookie, electrified the pregame opening ceremony. Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool played some of their biggest hits, with Armstrong declaring, “We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard! We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!” According to the NFL, their set was designed to “celebrate six decades of the championship’s history, with the band helping usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field.”
Charlie Puth, accompanied by ASL performer Fred Beam, took the stage to sing the national anthem, while Coco Jones delivered a heartfelt rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem. Each performance contributed to a sense of unity and representation, echoing Carlile’s earlier remarks about the night’s diversity.
But it was the halftime show that sparked the most conversation in the months leading up to Super Bowl LX. Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar, was announced as the headliner, prompting both excitement and controversy. In October 2025, a petition circulated calling for country legend George Strait to replace him, arguing, “The Super Bowl halftime show should unite our country, honor American culture, and remain family-friendly, not be turned into a political stunt. Bad Bunny represents none of these values; his drag performances and style are the opposite of what families expect on football’s biggest stage.” The petition, which garnered thousands of signatures, insisted Strait “embodies unity, tradition, and the timeless American music that truly deserves the 2026 Super Bowl spotlight.”
Bad Bunny, never one to shy away from the spotlight, addressed the controversy with characteristic humor during an appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” “I’m very happy, and I think everyone is happy about it—even Fox News,” he teased as a montage of Fox News footage played. He continued in Spanish, “Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It’s more than a win for myself, it’s a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take that away or erase it.” He concluded with a wink, “If you didn’t understand what I just said. You have four months to learn.”
Carlile herself weighed in on the broader conversation about representation and controversy, stating, “It’s really good. Bad Bunny’s incredible—an incredible spirit and performer. It’s gonna be a fabulous halftime show.” She emphasized her desire not to gloss over America’s challenges, saying, “I definitely don’t want to be seen as neoliberal or as someone who’s glossing over the problems that we have in this country. I want to be seen as one of the people that’s helping.”
As the Super Bowl LX festivities unfolded, the music, the voices, and even the debates echoed the complexity and diversity of the nation itself. For Carlile, the moment was a reminder to “be there” and to embrace the fragile hope that defines both a song and a country. As the final notes of “America the Beautiful” faded, it was clear that, at least for one night, the spotlight shone not just on football, but on the many voices—famous and unsung—that make up the American story.