Brandi Carlile, Charlie Puth, and Coco Jones Turn Super Bowl Pregame Into Pop Drama

Mia Reynolds, 12/1/2025Explore how the Super Bowl pregame show transforms into a cultural spectacle with performances by Charlie Puth, Brandi Carlile, and Coco Jones. This year highlights inclusivity and accessibility, showcasing sign language interpreters and emphasizing the power of music and community in a dynamic presentation.

The organizers aren’t exactly playing it safe either—this coming year’s pregame show sprawls across generations and genres, promising musical flavors that ought to coax smiles from even the most world-weary fans. Desiree Perez of Roc Nation, who’s become something of a maestro for these events, calls the lead acts “generational talents.” It might sound like marketing, but glance at the lineup and there’s no arguing the point.

First out of the gate is Charlie Puth. The man’s voice has probably echoed through a basement party or break-up drive at least once in the past decade—maybe more, considering his 35 billion-plus streams. “Attention,” “See You Again,” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” stack beautifully in playlists and, apparently, in the pressure-cooker of a Super Bowl anthem performance. Not everyone’s up for that gauntlet, but Puth’s got his fourth album on the horizon (the charmingly titled “Whatever’s Clever!”), set to drop in March, so it appears nerves aren't much of a concern.

Next, there’s Brandi Carlile. Some artists sing; Carlile seems to lay her soul on the table with every lyric. Her voice is more river than note—carrying stories, memories, bits of heartbreak and hope. Eleven Grammys in, she’s released “Returning to Myself” to warm critical hands. Recent collaborations with Elton John prove her chameleon range. It’s almost uncanny how she can make even a crowded stadium feel intimate, each song like a secret whispered over the roar.

Then there’s Coco Jones, whose story reads almost cinematic: from Disney Channel alum to Grammy winner, to glowing presence on Peacock’s “Bel-Air.” Her single “ICU” nabbed her that much-deserved trophy, and if Grammy odds-makers are to be trusted, her new record “Why Not More?” might bring another. Watching her perform is a bit like seeing a friend find her own spotlight—there’s a contagious pride. And honestly, every large event deserves someone with that blend of warmth and star power.

But pause. It’s no longer just about which voices fill the stadium—it’s about who gets to enjoy them, and how. This year, the NFL seems to have finally grasped that accessibility isn’t optional background; partnering with Alexis Kashar of LOVE SIGN and Howard Rosenblum of Deaf Equality, they've brought interpreters center stage. Fred Beam signing the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Julian Ortiz giving “America the Beautiful” another layer—these gestures feel overdue, but powerfully symbolic nonetheless.

For the first time, even the halftime—timed, anticipated, and scrutinized by advertisers and fans alike—will include a full multilingual sign language program, highlighted by Celimar Rivera Cosme and Puerto Rican Sign Language. Bad Bunny at the center. It almost feels like the Super Bowl is learning to keep up with the rest of culture rather than just setting its own rules.

On second thought, maybe that’s the gracious curve of 2025 sneaking in—a year where accessibility and inclusivity ring louder, echoed by familiar voices and unfamiliar ones signing in tandem. There’s a bit of hope tangled up with spectacle this time.

This isn’t so much a lineup as a three-part harmony stitched with care, a pregame show that hints the real headline might be how many kinds of stories can share a stage. Not just vocal cords, but hands; not just charts and streams, but lived experience etched into every note and gesture.

In the end—well, no sense pretending the confetti cannons aren’t waiting. Even those tuning in only for the commercials might find themselves moved, humming a verse involuntarily or watching signed lyrics ripple across the screen. For just a winter evening, the story arc is solidarity.

And there’s the secret: the magic of the Super Bowl isn’t just in the final score, and this year, it seems the NFL is finally willing to let the pregame be more than just a warm-up act. Every song, every sign, every performer on that world stage—come kickoff, it adds up to a pretty rare chorus.

There’s something about the Super Bowl that never fails to turn living rooms into miniature stadiums; for a few crisp, nervous hours, even people who barely know a field goal from a fumble lean in a bit closer, extra chips in hand. Over at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the NFL seems keenly aware that hosting the 2026 game isn’t just about touchdowns. It’s a full-blown cultural soiree, the kind that sets social feeds ablaze long before the coin toss.The organizers aren’t exactly playing it safe either—this coming year’s pregame show sprawls across generations and genres, promising musical flavors that ought to coax smiles from even the most world-weary fans. Desiree Perez of Roc Nation, who’s become something of a maestro for these events, calls the lead acts “generational talents.” It might sound like marketing, but glance at the lineup and there’s no arguing the point.First out of the gate is Charlie Puth. The man’s voice has probably echoed through a basement party or break-up drive at least once in the past decade—maybe more, considering his 35 billion-plus streams. “Attention,” “See You Again,” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” stack beautifully in playlists and, apparently, in the pressure-cooker of a Super Bowl anthem performance. Not everyone’s up for that gauntlet, but Puth’s got his fourth album on the horizon (the charmingly titled “Whatever’s Clever!”), set to drop in March, so it appears nerves aren't much of a concern.Next, there’s Brandi Carlile. Some artists sing; Carlile seems to lay her soul on the table with every lyric. Her voice is more river than note—carrying stories, memories, bits of heartbreak and hope. Eleven Grammys in, she’s released “Returning to Myself” to warm critical hands. Recent collaborations with Elton John prove her chameleon range. It’s almost uncanny how she can make even a crowded stadium feel intimate, each song like a secret whispered over the roar.Then there’s Coco Jones, whose story reads almost cinematic: from Disney Channel alum to Grammy winner, to glowing presence on Peacock’s “Bel-Air.” Her single “ICU” nabbed her that much-deserved trophy, and if Grammy odds-makers are to be trusted, her new record “Why Not More?” might bring another. Watching her perform is a bit like seeing a friend find her own spotlight—there’s a contagious pride. And honestly, every large event deserves someone with that blend of warmth and star power.But pause. It’s no longer just about which voices fill the stadium—it’s about who gets to enjoy them, and how. This year, the NFL seems to have finally grasped that accessibility isn’t optional background; partnering with Alexis Kashar of LOVE SIGN and Howard Rosenblum of Deaf Equality, they've brought interpreters center stage. Fred Beam signing the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” Julian Ortiz giving “America the Beautiful” another layer—these gestures feel overdue, but powerfully symbolic nonetheless.For the first time, even the halftime—timed, anticipated, and scrutinized by advertisers and fans alike—will include a full multilingual sign language program, highlighted by Celimar Rivera Cosme and Puerto Rican Sign Language. Bad Bunny at the center. It almost feels like the Super Bowl is learning to keep up with the rest of culture rather than just setting its own rules.On second thought, maybe that’s the gracious curve of 2025 sneaking in—a year where accessibility and inclusivity ring louder, echoed by familiar voices and unfamiliar ones signing in tandem. There’s a bit of hope tangled up with spectacle this time.This isn’t so much a lineup as a three-part harmony stitched with care, a pregame show that hints the real headline might be how many kinds of stories can share a stage. Not just vocal cords, but hands; not just charts and streams, but lived experience etched into every note and gesture.In the end—well, no sense pretending the confetti cannons aren’t waiting. Even those tuning in only for the commercials might find themselves moved, humming a verse involuntarily or watching signed lyrics ripple across the screen. For just a winter evening, the story arc is solidarity.And there’s the secret: the magic of the Super Bowl isn’t just in the final score, and this year, it seems the NFL is finally willing to let the pregame be more than just a warm-up act. Every song, every sign, every performer on that world stage—come kickoff, it adds up to a pretty rare chorus.