SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brandi Carlile isn’t hedging.
When the multi-Grammy winner steps onto the field at Super Bowl to sing “America the Beautiful,” Carlile said she'll perform fully live — with no prerecorded safety net, embracing the same risk she believes audiences take every day simply by showing up.
“The people deserve to have you live,” Carlile told The Associated Press on Thursday. “They need you to be taking the risk they’re taking every day when
they walk out into those streets.”
That decision sets the tone for how Sunday’s pregame performers are approaching one of music’s most technically demanding stages. Some play it safe while others are fully present.
Carlile, who will perform before kickoff along with Charlie Puth and Coco Jones, described preparation that extends beyond rehearsals and sound checks. Having previously performed in large outdoor venues — including Elton John's final tour date at Dodger Stadium in 2022 — she said singing in an open-air stadium introduces noticeable sound delay, where performers can hear their own voices echo back moments later.
“I’ve been preparing for it more spiritually than technically,” Carlile said. “I want to sing that song as more of a prayer than a boast.”
Performing live at the Super Bowl has long required a careful balance between authenticity and logistics. Because of stadium acoustics, broadcast delays and the precision demanded by a globally televised event, artists often blend live vocals with backing tracks or use prerecorded elements to ensure consistent sound quality across the venue and broadcast.
The practice is not new. Whitney Houston’s iconic 1991 national anthem performance was later confirmed to have used a prerecorded track. Katy Perry and other halftime performers have also used a mix of live vocals and reinforcement as part of highly choreographed productions.
The approach is common but the choice remains personal, shaped by an artist’s own philosophy and comfort level.
Jones, who will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” framed her preparation less as declaration and more as discipline — rooted in respect for the song itself. Rather than focusing on whether a performance is live or supported, she emphasized repetition, rehearsing until muscle memory takes over.
“I try to overly practice,” she said. “When everything is second nature … I’m just a vessel.”
Jones has performed on stadium stages before, including Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and said the scale amplifies pressure but doesn't fundamentally change her mindset. She studies lyrics — her own and those she covers — to understand the emotion and intention behind every line before stepping onto the field.
From a sound standpoint, Jones stressed the importance of sound monitoring in a massive stadiums. Jones sought guidance from Alicia Keys, who became the first artist to sing the rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” for the NFL in 2000.
“She just told me, ‘Don’t be nervous — be in the moment,'” Jones said. “That meant a lot coming from her.”
Puth, who will perform the national anthem, said he is approaching the moment as a producer as much as a vocalist — a mindset shaped by years of controlling sound from the studio to the stage. Though he has performed in stadiums before, he said each venue presents its own challenges.
“There’s not one stadium that sounds alike,” Puth said.
Known for his hands-on role in his music, Puth said maintaining control over sound is central to his preparation, particularly in a setting where acoustics, delay and broadcast demands intersect. The national anthem, one of the most scrutinized songs in American music, requires restraint as much as power, especially in a stadium setting, the singer said.
“You just make sure you don't over sing,” said Puth, whose Super Bowl appearance arrives ahead of a busy year. His fourth studio album, “Whatever’s Clever,” is set for release March 27, followed by a world tour that will take him through arenas including New York and Los Angeles.
“The moment you start thinking about everybody else, you're not locked into the music,” he continued. “And that's when things don't sound the way they should.”
For Carlile, the Super Bowl also serves as a bridge to what comes next.
Next week, she will launch the Human Tour, her first-ever arena headlining run. It's a milestone she described as both thrilling and intimidating. But standing alone on the Super Bowl field, she said, offers a kind of preparation no rehearsal room can replicate.
“It’ll be the scariest thing I do this year,” she said. “So once that’s over, the Human Tour is going to be Disneyland all day long.”
Carlile said what she’s learning in this moment. She's resisting perfection, staying present and trusting herself during her live performance, hoping she along with Puth and Jones' performances give viewers some form of inspiration.
“You have to wake up and take a risk with yourself,” she said. “That’s what makes performance beautiful.”
