The Grammy-winning musician performs the classic song with his custom acoustic guitar, emblazoned with American flag, at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
- Feb 12, 2023
AceShowbiz - Babyface is showing off his vocals as he kicks off the 2023 Super Bowl. The Grammy-winning musician successfully wowed the crowd with a soaring stripped-down rendition of "America the Beautiful".
The 64-year-old musician wore a dark suit as he performed the classic song on Sunday, February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the Kansas City Chiefs are taking on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Babyface sang a slowed version of the song while playing the acoustic guitar, which was emblazoned with the American flag. It was a moving moment, with the crooner, who completed the song with a rousing and soulful transition to finish things off.
Deaf Native American interpreter Colin Denny signed the song during Babyface's performance. Also ahead of the game, Chris Stapleton performed the national anthem and Sheryl Lee Ralph sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing". Meanwhile, Rihanna will take the stage for her much-anticipated performance and the inaugural Apple Music halftime show.
Ahead of his performance, Babyface admitted that he was "surprised" that the NFL asked him to participate in the pre-show alongside Sheryl and Chris. "This was not on my bucket list and it was not anything I ever imagined I would do," he said on Friday, February 10, in a video interview with the NFL alongside his fellow pregame performers. "So to get that call [I ask], 'Are you sure? Me?' but I am so honored."
While coming up with his plans, Babyface admitted he had a lot of ideas for what he could do with the patriotic song. "The whole thing is that I have to think, 'What kind of arrangement are you going to do? Do you want [there] to be a choir? Do you want this? Do you do you want to do urban? Do you want this and that?' " he reflected to Entertainment Tonight on February 7. "I just thought the best way for me to do it is to just pick up my guitar and sing it the way that I would have sung it when I was a kid."
