NFL includes another critic of Trump in Super Bowl performance lineup

Brandi Carlile, a country-rock singer known for her criticism of Donald Trump, has been announced as one of the performers for the Super Bowl pre-game show on February 8. On Monday, Carlile shared on Instagram Stories that she would be performing America the Beautiful. Joining her on stage will be Coco Jones and Charlie Puth. Carlile, however, stands out as the most outspoken anti-MAGA artist among the lineup.

This announcement comes shortly after controversy surrounding the NFLs choice of Puerto Rican reggaetn star Bad Bunny for the halftime show. Some Trump supporters criticized Bad Bunny because of his ethnicity and Spanish-language music, with some making false claims about his legal status in the U.S. Bad Bunny also drew criticism from the right for refusing to perform his global tour in the U.S., citing concerns over Trump-era ICE raids. The NFL has maintained its choices, and Carliles pre-game performance can be seen as another form of cultural pushback.

The LGBTQ icon has consistently criticized Trump since his election in 2016. In October, she released the song Church & State, which addresses Christian nationalism. The track includes lyrics highlighting the contrast between perceived power and moral responsibility, and features a quote from Thomas Jeffersons Letter to the Danbury Baptists emphasizing the separation of church and state.

When Trump won in 2016, Carlile expressed frustration with his voters, saying she was listening to their perspectives but remained unconvinced. In 2019, she withdrew from the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in protest of the inclusion of Trumps Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, denouncing family separation policies. Following the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, Carlile also used social media to denounce oppressive policies, and in 2023, she joined Elton Johns campaign to support HIV/AIDS funding after federal cuts.

Charlie Puth will perform the national anthem before Super Bowl LX. Puth has historically avoided making public political statements, once saying in 2015 that it is better to stay away from politics to avoid backlash. Rising R&B artist Coco Jones will sing Lift Every Voice and Sing. Neither Jones nor Puth have publicly expressed opinions about the current president. Puth briefly faced online scrutiny in 2020 over past social media activity but has not officially clarified his political stance.

Author: Sophia Brooks