Brandi Carlile on the Emotional Weight of Performing ‘America the Beautiful’ at Super Bowl LX
“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.”
Brandi Carlile; Photo Provided
Tonight, Brandi Carlile will take the stage to deliver a performance of “America the Beautiful” ahead of Super Bowl LX, with an estimated audience of over 125 million watching from across the country.
Ahead of her performance, Carlile spoke with Variety about the opportunity to perform during the big game, how she’s feeling performing “America the Beautiful” for the first time, and what it means to take the stage as a member of the queer community.
The Washington native told Variety her performance will be “a melodically centered version, instead of a rhythmically centered version” and noted that it’s actually her first time singing the song. She has, however, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” previously, including at a Seattle Seahawks game a little over a decade ago, while Charlie Puth is set to sing the national anthem tonight.
“I sang ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ a couple of times in high school, and I sang it for the Seattle Storm a couple of times early on when I was really young, and then I sang it once for the Seahawks in one really, really big game [in 2015]. That is a really, really hard song. So I’ve sung that one before,” she explained.
“But I’ve never sung ‘America the Beautiful.’ I’ve been hearing it my whole life, but I do remember when I first sort of clocked it. I was invited to the White House when Obama was president to sing on the lawn on the 4th of July, and Brandon Flowers [frontman of the Killers] sang it. I just remember hearing it that way, as a modern song, and I was like, ‘Oh, that is a beautiful song’ — beautiful melodically, and lyrically beautiful. Other than that, my exposure to it has been that the definitive versions of the song have been Ray Charles and Whitney Houston, and those versions can’t be touched.”
When Variety asked the 11-time GRAMMY winner about performing the song during “a time of trouble and division,” she shared her hope for the country: “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.”
Reflecting on the personal and cultural significance of performing on such a massive platform, Carlile proudly shared: “And I have my own moral code, my own moral imperative, that I have to answer to at the end of the day, as a wife and mother, and I believe in my ability and responsibility to do this, and that’s why I’m here. And the throughline to being queer and being a representative of a marginalized community and being put on the largest stage in America to acknowledge the fraught and tender hope that this country is based on, it’s something you don’t say no to. You do it.”
Plus, this is even more meaningful to Carlile, who is a longtime fan of the Seattle Seahawks. She won’t be allowed to show support for hear team on the outside, but promised, “I’ll have a Seahawks jersey on in my heart.”
“You know, people say to me, ‘Oh, isn’t it complicated and difficult to get involved in something like the Super Bowl in these times?’ And there’s a lot of validity to that observation. I don’t disagree. But it does get a little easier when it’s your team,” she continued with a laugh. “You’d be really surprised, right?”
Brandi Carlile’s performance of “America the Beautiful” will air ahead of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Game day festivities kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET as the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots. All the action will air Sunday, February 8, at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and Universo.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
