Chris Stapleton was honored to sing the national anthem during this year's Super Bowl, and fans seem to agree that it was the perfect way to kick off the event.
The Super Bowl is not only a night of one of the biggest sporting events on the planet but the musical performances and adverts that go with it sometimes overshadow the events on the field.
New movie trailers get fans pumped, celebrities pop up in commercials that seem like a bizarre match, and the half-time show is one of the most highly anticipated musical performances of the year.
But before the game kicks off, the stadium rises for the national anthem which is often performed by a musician as the world watches on.
Check out Chris Stapleton's rendition of the national anthem:Stapleton is an eight-time Grammy winner famous for his country music, and he has also picked up 15-time Country Music Association and 10-time Academy of Country Music awards, per CBS Sports.
The singer took to the middle of the field as the third consecutive country singer to have the honor, as Mickey Guyton did the same in 2022 and Eric Church did it as a duet with R&B star Jazmine Sullivan in 2021.
Stapleton delivered a very rugged, raw, and touching performance of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' with players, staff, and fans clearly moved by the rendition.
Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Sirianni was seen teary-eyed on the side of the field as Stapleton was performing, and Eagles lineman Jason Kelce also appeared to be fighting off tears.
Before the national anthem was sung, Babyface went for a quiet approach to patriotism as he performed a slow version of 'America the Beautiful'.
Wielding a guitar decorated with stars and stripes, the buzz around the stadium took a moment's pause as everyone was hanging on to every word that came out of the singer's mouth.
Fans were clearly blown away by Stapleton's performance, with one person stating: "Chris Stapleton just won the Super Bowl," and another added: "Super Bowl just peaked w Chris Stapleton. One of my all-time favourite voices."
Considering Stapleton's performance was one of the first things to happen during the event, it was a tough act to follow!
Rihanna's halftime show did a pretty good job, though. Dressed all in red and performing on platforms that raised into the sky, the iconic singer belted out a number of her top hits as the backing dancers were so in time with each other it was almost impossible to take your eyes off the screen.
It certainly was a night of epic performances, and that's without talking about the thrilling game of football that the music happens around!
