Singer Brandi Carlile is opening up about why she — as an brazenly homosexual artist — determined to sing “America the Stunning” at Tremendous Bowl LX regardless of the nation’s turbulent and divisive political instances.
“I’ve my very own ethical code, my very own ethical crucial, that I’ve to reply to on the finish of the day, as a spouse and a mom, and I imagine in my means and duty to do that, and that’s why I’m right here,” Carlile, 44, advised Selection in an interview revealed on Saturday, February 7.
“And the throughline to being queer and being consultant of a marginalized group and being placed on the most important stage in America to acknowledge the fraught and tender hope that this nation is predicated on, it’s one thing you don’t say no to,” she added. “You do it.”
The Grammy and Emmy award-winning singer-songwriter is ready to carry out “America the Stunning” forward of Tremendous Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Carlile will carry out as a part of a jam-packed pre-game lineup, that includes Inexperienced Day and a rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” by Charlie Pluthearlier than Unhealthy Bunny takes the 2026 Tremendous Bowl Halftime stage.
Whereas there’s certain to be loads of drama on the sphere, Unhealthy Bunny and the controversy surrounding his upcoming efficiency has been dominating headlines after conservatives, Republican politicians — together with President Donald Trump — and pundits have chastised the NFL for selecting a Puerto Rican artist who performs in Spanish to headline.
(Regardless of claims from many conservatives, Unhealthy Bunny, actual title Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is an American as Puerto Rico is an American territory.)
Brandi Carlile
Getty Photographs“You could not know this, however I’m doing the Tremendous Bowl halftime present,” Unhealthy Bunny advised the viewers whereas internet hosting Saturday Night time Reside in October 2025, addressing the controversy head-on. “I’m very pleased and I feel everybody could be very pleased about it! Even Fox Information…”
He added, “Actually, I’m very excited to be doing the Tremendous Bowl and I do know folks all all over the world who love my music are additionally pleased.”
Unhealthy Bunny then spoke in Spanish, earlier than once more addressing the viewers and viewers in English.
“In case you didn’t perceive now what I simply mentioned, you might have 4 months to be taught!”
Whereas chatting with SelectionCarlile additionally addressed the divisiveness surrounding the upcoming Tremendous Bowl.
“It shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t be,” Carlile advised the publication of how controversial the halftime present has develop into. “It seems to be precisely like America! It seems to be precisely like america. It seems to be just like the layers on the sphere, and it seems to be just like the folks which are watching the game. And that’s the way it needs to be, with plenty of demographics represented, and plenty of enthusiastic folks excited to rejoice an enormous sport on a unifying day.”
Brandi Carlile and her spouse, Catherine Shepherd, first struck up a relationship over the cellphone — nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than they hit it off in particular person as properly. The Grammy winner and the U.Okay. native met in 2009 whereas Shepherd was working for Paul McCartney, coordinating his charity work. Carlile and her future spouse spoke (…)
She continued, “And I feel that the parents that put collectively the leisure portion of the Tremendous Bowl this 12 months simply did a bang-up job. It’s actually good. Unhealthy Bunny’s unimaginable — an unimaginable spirit and performer. It’s gonna be a superb halftime present.”
The award-winning singer additionally spoke to how vital it was for her to carry out a track penned by Katharine Lee Bateswho’s believed to have been homosexual.
“You realize, I really feel referred to as to an extended line of contemplative and struggling folks. I really feel motivated by the truth that she was very probably homosexual, and a girl counting on her mind in a time when that was troublesome for ladies to take action, and dwelling with a accomplice who was doing the identical factor,” she defined. “And nonetheless selecting — even in that complete oppression; even not having the ability to be married; even not having the ability to say that she was homosexual, or to be elevated to the heights that she in all probability deserved to be elevated to in politics — and, throughout these instances, to nonetheless love America and to nonetheless imagine that it may get to a spot of goodness.”
She added, “I gained’t say greatness, as a result of that feels just a little, you already know, patriarchal. However goodness. And I imagine the identical factor. And I’ve a sliver of the wrestle forward of and behind me that she was going through in her day. So, you already know, that is an fascinating track. And it’s an fascinating choice that I’m making. I positively don’t need to be seen as a neoliberal or as somebody who’s glossing over the issues that we have now on this nation. I need to be seen as one of many those who’s serving to.”