Charlie Puth Defends 2026 Super Bowl Anthem Backlash: “It’ll Be One of My Best Vocal Performances”

Charlie Puth has responded to online criticism after being tapped to perform the national anthem at Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026. Facing skepticism about his selection, the pop singer defended the decision and previewed what fans can expect.

In a post on X on December 1, 2025, Puth acknowledged the stature of past interpreters while assuring followers that he and his team are crafting a distinctive arrangement in D major and that the performance will be among his strongest vocally.

The NFL revealed the official Super Bowl pregame lineup over the November 30 holiday weekend: Puth will sing the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will perform “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones will offer a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” All three artists will appear ahead of Bad Bunny’s Apple Music halftime show.

Recent national-anthology performers include Jon Batiste at Super Bowl LIX (February 9, 2025), with earlier renditions by Reba McEntire (2024), Chris Stapleton (2023) and Mickey Guyton (2022).

Puth’s catalog includes the Hot 100 chart-topper “See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa and three consecutive top-10 albums on the Billboard 200. His 2022 self-titled LP reached No. 10 and produced hits such as “Light Switch” and the Jung Kook duet “Left and Right.” He’s also seen chart success with a remix of Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope.”

With the Super Bowl still two months away, Puth has time to finalize his interpretation. He’s also scheduled to release his fourth studio album, Whatever’s Clever!, on March 6, 2026.

Below is the artist’s full response as posted on X.

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