Lesbian icon Brandi Carlile to perform 'America the Beautiful' at Super Bowl LX in California

The NFL has announced that Brandi Carlile will perform America the Beautiful during the pre-game ceremony at Super Bowl LX, taking place on 8 February 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The eleven-time Grammy Award winner joins a line-up featuring Charlie Puth (national anthem) and Coco Jones (Lift Every Voice and Sing), and headliner Bad Bunny, with the event broadcast globally on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock.

A proud lesbian artist and outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Carlile has consistently used her platform to champion equality and inclusion. Through her Looking Out Foundation, co-founded in 2008 and managed by her wife Catherine Shepherd, she has directed millions in grants to grassroots organisations supporting LGBTQ+ rights, women in music, and social justice causes. Recent beneficiaries include OUTMemphis, the Tennessee Equality Project, and community shelters across the US. 

Carlile also curates Girls Just Wanna Weekend, a festival celebrating women and LGBTQ+ artists, and runs XOBC Cellars, a wine label that is entirely women- and LGBTQ-owned. Her ethos of “lift as you climb” has helped elevate voices like Yola, Allison Russell and Brittney Spencer in an industry still dominated by men.

As Roc Nation’s Desiree Perez put it: "Charlie, Brandi and Coco are generational talents, and we are honoured to have them on Super Bowl LX’s world stage. This moment embodies the very best of culture, live performance and our country."