"So an upgrade from Bad Bunny" - Internet divided by Brandi Carlile slated to sing “America The Beautiful” at the Super Bowl

Singer Brandi Carlile joins the list of artists performing at the upcoming Super Bowl, held in California in February 2026. On November 30, 2025, the NFL announced that Carlile, Coco Jones, and Charlie Puth would perform at the pregame show, ahead of Bad Bunny, who is slated to headline the halftime show.

Carlile will reportedly perform America the Beautiful. Meanwhile, Jones will sing Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Puth will perform the national anthem. Jon Barker, senior vice president of the NFL's global event production, addressed the artist line-up on Sunday, adding:

"Super Bowl Sunday is the world's biggest entertainment stage, and we're proud to spotlight artists who embody the very best of music and culture. Beyond the game itself, the Super Bowl is a global celebration. These artists bring a distinct voice to the moment, helping set the tone for a day that will captivate fans around the world."

According to Reuters, Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation, called the three artists "generational talent." She added that the artists will be joined by deaf performers. Fred Beam, a deaf music artist, will perform the national anthem and Lift Every Voice and Sing, while deaf music performer Julian Ortiz will perform America the Beautiful.

News of Brandi Carlile performing at the upcoming Super Bowl was met with mixed responses from netizens on X, with one user claiming that the singer was an upgrade from Bad Bunny.

"Interesting, so an upgrade from Bad Bunny, nice."

Several netizens seemed excited at the prospect of Carlile performing at the show, dubbing it an "iconic voice for an iconic anthem."

However, many seemed displeased at the selection, saying that the Super Bowl needed "real cultural weight" instead of artists like Brandi Carlile.

NFL stands by Bad Bunny amid Super Bowl controversy

In September 2025, the NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation announced that Puerto Rican star Bad Bunny would headline the upcoming 2026 Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. He will follow rapper Kendrick Lamar, who headlined this year's halftime show. Bad Bunny dedicated the honor to his people, culture, and history in a statement at the time, saying:

"What I'm feeling goes beyond myself. It's for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history. Ve y dile a tu abuela, que seremos el HALFTIME SHOW DEL SUPER BOWL."

Meanwhile, Jay-Z, the founder of Roc Nation, praised Bad Bunny following the announcement, saying that his contribution to Puerto Rico was "truly inspiring." Jay-Z also added that the NFL and Roc Nation were "honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”

However, not everyone was receptive to Bad Bunny headlining the halftime show. Several conservatives voiced their criticism of the Puerto Rican star. This included President Donald Trump, who referred to Bad Bunny as "the Bad Bunny Rabbit of whatever his name is" during a phone interview with NewsMax host Greg Kelly in October.

Trump also claimed he had never heard of Bad Bunny, suggesting that the choice was "crazy" and "absolutely ridiculous."

However, during a press conference on October 21, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell doubled down on the decision to have Bad Bunny headline the halftime show, saying:

"He’s [Bad Bunny] one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world. That’s what we try to achieve. It’s an important stage for us. It’s an important element to the entertainment value. It’s carefully thought through. I don’t think we’re ever selected an artist without some blowback or criticism.”

The 2026 Super Bowl will be held at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026.

Edited by Juhi Marzia