PHOENIX — Idina Menzel superbly belted the National Anthem before Super Bowl XLIX’s kickoff Sunday, symbolically putting behind her a few intensely criticized performances such as her New Year’s Eve performance of Frozen‘s “Let of Go.”
The packed crowd also watched the Tony Award winner correctly sing every word in the right order, unlike National Anthem singers of yesteryear. John Legend also delivered a solid pre-game performance of “America the Beautiful.”
Last year, soprano Renée Fleming delivered a riveting national anthem with help from a military chorus. The opera rendition from Fleming, a four-time Grammy winner, was uncommon for Super Bowl lead-ups because the role is traditionally reserved for a pop star.
In 2013, Alicia Keys played piano while singing the national anthem (watch, below), which hadn’t been done since Billy Joel in 2007. Kelly Clarkson sang the song in 2012, a year after Christina Aguilera flubbed the song’s lyrics at the previous Super Bowl.
Other past performers include Whitney Houston, Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Neil Diamond, Diana Ross, Jewel, Harry Connick Jr., the Dixie Chicks and Cher.
When Menzel was first chosen Jan. 16, she paid homage to Houston’s 1991 performance:
#SB49 @SuperBowl @nfl pic.twitter.com/qf0me9wFqo
— Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) January 16, 2015
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