Country music icon Reba McEntire ignited social media with her stirring rendition of the National Anthem at Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday.
As McEntire sang, the broadcast seamlessly transitioned between images of soldiers stationed overseas in South Korea and shots of the Las Vegas dome adorned with the American flag. Emotions ran high, with even Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle visibly moved to tears at one point.
The performance culminated in a majestic military flyover just before the coin toss commenced.
Despite minor audio glitches, McEntire’s performance garnered widespread praise on social media.
“Reba killed it,” exclaimed former NFL punter turned football pundit Pat McAfee.
“Post Malone and Reba McEntire both knocked it out of the park. And, by the way, I haven’t seen any NFL player kneel for the anthem recently. Not on either team here,” remarked Clay Travis. “It’s incredible how that trend disappeared and how ratings have soared since then.”
McEntire, a revered figure in country music, has been a fixture in sports event performances since 1974, lending her powerful voice to the rendition of the National Anthem on numerous occasions.
Country legend Reba McEntire shared the Super Bowl spotlight this year with fellow performers Post Malone, who delivered a rendition of “America The Beautiful,” and Andra Day, who mesmerized audiences with “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” also known as “the black national anthem.”
In an interview with Good Morning America earlier in the year, McEntire offered insights into her preparation process for such a high-profile performance. “You just warm up like you do for a concert and sing it about five or six times and get in there and do it,” she shared.
