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Charlie Puth delivered a national anthem performance that quickly became one of the most talked about moments of Super Bowl 2026.
After taking the stage ahead of the championship game on Feb. 8, the singer shared that his emotional rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" was inspired by one of the most iconic performances in Super Bowl history. Posting on X shortly after the game, Charlie thanked fans for their support and explained the meaning behind his arrangement.
"Thank you everyone for your kind words," he wrote. "It was an honor to sing the National Anthem. I wrote the arrangement in a very specific way to honor Whitney Houston. I hope that was heard."
The 34 year old musician, who is currently expecting his first child with wife Brooke Sansone, also expressed gratitude to the artists who joined him onstage. He gave special thanks to the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, the Sainted Choir, the Color of Noize Orchestra, Steve Hackman and Kenny G, as well as music director Adam Blackstone for crafting what he called a beautiful choir arrangement. Charlie ended his message by sharing his deep appreciation for music and collaboration.
The performance took place at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, moments before the New England Patriots faced the Seattle Seahawks. As Charlie sat at a sleek keyboard and began singing, the stadium fell silent. His gospel influenced delivery brought a fresh tone to the anthem, while cameras captured players from both teams listening intently.
The Seahawks went on to defeat the Patriots 29 to 13, earning the Lombardi Trophy, but the pregame ceremony stood out just as much as the final score. The opening celebrations also featured Coco Jones performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and Brandi Carlile joining in for "America the Beautiful."
In the weeks leading up to the game, not everyone was convinced Charlie was the right choice for such a historic moment. Some critics online questioned whether he could live up to Whitney Houston's legendary Super Bowl performance from 1991. One social media user even wrote that Charlie would not be able to deliver the vocals fans expect.
Rather than ignore the criticism, Charlie responded with humility and confidence. He acknowledged that he would never compare himself to Whitney Houston but promised that he and his team were preparing something special. He also noted that the anthem would be arranged in D major and hinted it would be one of his strongest vocal performances to date.
