Charlie Puth responds boldly to criticism of his Super Bowl national anthem performance.

Charlie Puth has responded to critics questioning his ability to perform the National Anthem at the 2026 Super Bowl. The four-time Grammy-nominated artist, known for chart-toppers like Attention and We Dont Talk Anymore, was announced on Sunday as one of the pregame performers.

Puth is set to sing The Star-Spangled Banner before kickoff, while Brandi Carlile will deliver America the Beautiful and Coco Jones will perform Lift Every Voice and Sing.

Following the announcement, some social media users expressed doubts about Puths vocal capabilities. One user commented, Man weve fallen from when Whitney Houston sang at the Super Bowl. Charlie Puth? Hes not gonna give us vocals Im afraid.

Addressing the criticism, the 34-year-old singer stated, Ill never claim to be as good of a singer as Whitney Houston ever was. But I assure you were putting a really special arrangement togetherin D major. Itll be one of my best vocal performances.

The pregame performances are scheduled for Sunday, February 8, at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, California, leading up to the NFL championship game and a halftime show headlined by Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny.

Bad Bunny, 31, was revealed as the halftime performer in September, sparking backlash from some conservative groups upset about his political views and the language of his music. The Latin trap artist addressed the controversy on Saturday Night Live, expressing excitement for the performance and acknowledging his global fanbase.

The pregame acts and halftime show will be broadcast on NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock. Jon Barker, NFL senior vice president of global event production, praised the lineup, saying, These artists bring a distinct voice to the moment, helping set the tone for a day that will captivate fans around the world.

Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation, which is producing the show with DPS and Jesse Collins, added, Charlie, Brandi, and Coco are generational talents, and we are honored to have themalongside our extraordinary deaf performerson Super Bowl LXs world stage. This moment embodies the very best of culture, live performance and our country.

Puth, who has perfect pitch, first gained prominence with his 2015 hit See You Again alongside Wiz Khalifa from the Furious 7 soundtrack. His Super Bowl performance comes ahead of his fourth studio album, Whatevers Clever!, set for release on March 6.

Author: Sophia Brooks