Brandi Carlile embraces Super Bowl moment in San Francisco

When Brandi Carlile steps onto the field to sing America the Beautiful at Super Bowl 60, she won’t be pretending the moment is small. She also won’t be trying to overpower it.

At the Apple Music Super Bowl press conference, Carlile spoke openly about nerves, treating them not as something to conquer, but something to acknowledge. “I’m nervous, of course,” she said. “Musically, it’s a hard song.” There was no attempt to soften the admission or turn it into a motivational slogan. It was honest and unpolished.

Her pre-performance routine sounded just as real. “Definitely not drinking whiskey anymore,” Carlile said with a laugh before explaining how her band handles adrenaline. “We try to keep the adrenaline under control. My twins in the band, we give each other little punches in the stomach to try to get it out.” She paused, then added, “I know that sounds ridiculous.”

It didn’t. It sounded like people who care.

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Carlile spoke with the ease of someone who understands big moments without being consumed by them. An 11-time Grammy winner, two-time Emmy winner, and Academy Award nominee, she has stood on enough stages to know that nerves never fully disappear. They just change shape.

Rather than chasing perfection, Carlile talked about trust. Trust in preparation. Trust in the people beside her. Trust that the music itself will do the work if she lets it. The Super Bowl, she made clear, is not something she plans to carry alone.

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When the conversation turned to advice for younger artists, Carlile moved beyond the usual be yourself refrain. “Everybody tells you to be yourself,” she said. “Being yourself is good, but working in community is even better.” Then she said it plainly: “Community is the best way to make any dream real.”

Carlile never minimized the size of the stage. She simply refused to let it change who she is. She acknowledged the nerves, smiled at the chaos, leaned on her people, and prepared to step into the moment as herself.

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