Charlie Puth set the tone for Super Bowl LX with a piano-led rendition of the US national anthem, and while the moment drew applause inside Levi’s Stadium, it also sparked a wave of mixed reactions online as fans weighed in on his delivery.
Before either the New England Patriots or the Seattle Seahawks took the field, the singer opened the night by accompanying himself on electric piano, delivering a stripped-down but emotional rendition.
Puth began to softly and gradually build intensity before his voice soared on the “missiles’ red glare” line, joining a chorus as joint Navy and Air Force jets flew over the stadium to close the pregame show.
As the final note sounded, he raised his arms and waved to the crowd, visibly soaking in the moment.
Puth’s performance came as part of a star-studded pre-show lineup that also included Coco Jones Lift every voice and singBrandi Carlile performs America the beautifuland Green Day.
Bad Bunny headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show later that night.
In the lead-up to the match, Puth talked about how seriously he was taking the moment.
“I think the best way for me specifically to approach it is that the event is everything to me,” he said during a recent conversation with Apple Music‘s Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden.
“Inversely, I’m always developing how I hear my own music in my head, and then just kind of pulling it apart and making it into a viable product to hold. I’ve been rehearsing this in my head for months, if that makes sense.”
His performance was not without controversy even before kickoff. As some fans questioned whether he was the right choice for such an iconic slot, one X user compared him unfavorably to Whitney Houston’s legendary 1991 performance.
Puth responded directly, writing, “I will never claim to be as good a singer as Whitney Houston ever was. But I assure you we are putting together a truly special arrangement—in D major. It will be one of my best vocal performances.”
Fans react to Charlie Puth’s Super Bowl LX performance
When the anthem aired, social media quickly filled with reactions.
On Reddit’s music forum, opinions were divided.
One listener wrote: “The show itself was great, but I wasn’t a big fan of the arrangement. A bit corny.”
Another commented: “It sounded like a Christmas carol”, while another added: “I got Disney song vibes.”
Questions about vocal effects dominated much of the discussion.
One user claimed, “Idk to me it sounded very autotuned and pre-recorded…” while another echoed the sentiment, saying: “You could literally hear it kick in when he wanted to get rid of the key. Very off-putting.”
One disappointed fan asked: “Why did he use autotune? He sounds so much better without it.”
Others rushed to his defense.
“Not to be that girl, but of all the people who don’t need auto-tune, it’s Charlie,” one commenter wrote.
“That man is a musical genius and has perfect pitch.” Another added: “Never heard him live? Dude has an internal auto-tune that God gave him.”
Praise also poured in from fans who loved the moment, with one writing, “This was easily one of the best renditions I’ve ever heard,” and another simply posting, “Bro absolutely cooked.”
On the pop culture forum, the tone was more supportive.
One fan urged critics to relax, writing: “He was great. Stop hating on stuff.”
Another insisted: “His voice was wonderful and he didn’t lip sync,” while a third pointed out: “His voice really sounded like it had an effect on it, so he sounds like his albums. Now you can do certain effects live.”
The performance of the anthem comes as Puth continues the release of his upcoming fourth album, Whatever is smartwhich will be published on March 27.
speaks to The Hollywood Reporter last year he hinted at a new chapter in his music, saying: “I can’t say when, but I have plans to release music soon. And when it comes out, I feel like a lot of question marks will be answered… Life for me is very different than it was 10 years ago when One call away or See you again come out so there are some things to say.”
Whether Charlie Puth’s Super Bowl LX anthem was considered rousing or overproduced, it clearly struck a chord, sparking debate, praise and criticism in equal measure as fans across the Internet shared their reactions in real time.
