Getty
Twitter says Jazmine Sullivan carried "The Star Spangled Banner," while H.E.R. brought the house down all by herself and Amanda Gorman shone bright once again.
It was an emotional opening to Super Bowl LV, with powerful performances of some of America's most iconic music, a powerful poem by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman -- and Eric Church was there to sing backup.
While this year's performance of the national anthem was technically a duet, Eric Church was definitely in the second position behind Jazmine Sullivan. She sang the hell out of the song, while he tepidly helped hold it down (way) behind her.
Every Must-See Super Bowl LV Commercial That Went Viral, Blew Us Away or Left Us Scratching Our Heads
View StoryThe duo were in a tough spot from the jump, though, following H.E.R.'s incredible performance of "America the Beautiful." She brought electric guitar into it a la Jimi Hendrix, accompanied with an incredible vocal performance.
It was an impossible act to follow, because all we could think as Church kicked off the national anthem was how incredible H.E.R. would have slayed the song. She's got the vocal chops, and the guitar would have added a whole new, cool element to it.
Instead, we had Church's sleepy rendition, only salvaged by Sullivan bringing her all to her part, hitting the high notes he didn't even bother to try and making it memorable by the close. Still not quite as good as H.E.R., but she salvaged what could have been a huge disappointment.
Twitter quickly lit up over all three women, sending all three of them into the Top 4 trending topics, only behind the Super Bowl itself. As for Mr. Church, he was nowhere to be found ... kind of like in the song itself.
Don't get us wrong, Church has his supporters and they were loving what they saw, but even a lot of them had to admit (or should) that he was overshadowed at every moment by Sullivan's powerhouse performance. She slayed, he played.
NBC
Dan Levy SNL Sketches Ranked: Viral YouTube Twins, White Allies and Message for LGBTQ Youth
View StoryCheck out their performances and some of the enthusiastic reactions below:
.@jsullivanmusic and @ericchurch sing the National Anthem ahead of #SBLV! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/dnhOTrHKfW
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021 @NFL
.@HERMusicx sings America The Beautiful! #SBLV pic.twitter.com/X5cxxotkwQ
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021 @NFL
What a moment. @TheAmandaGorman #SBLV pic.twitter.com/v8VM9uhPww
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2021 @NFL
Two notes in, H.E.R’s is already my favorite version of America the Beautiful
— Ashley Nicole Black (@ashleyn1cole) February 7, 2021 @ashleyn1cole
H.E.R. gave me chills with "America the Beautiful" (which should be the national anthem) and Jazmine Sullivan really shoulda sang the anthem as a solo, ijs #SuperBowl
— suchislife (@brnsugaowner) February 7, 2021 @brnsugaowner
I never heard of H.E.R before but loved her rendition of America The Beautiful. She killed it imo. pic.twitter.com/gFkKMMzsxW
— Addicted to Helmets (@addicted2helmet) February 7, 2021 @addicted2helmet
not H.E.R and Jazmine Sullivan adding a little soul into the National Anthem and America the Beautiful pic.twitter.com/Xkb2u8Nsy2
— S u s h i (@here_4_da_drama) February 7, 2021 @here_4_da_drama
h.e.r. just made an excellent case for "America the Beautiful" to be the new national anthem
— Tatia (@tatialeigh) February 7, 2021 @tatialeigh
WOW 👏 😮 👏 😮
i’m late but excuuuuuse me?!?! @HERMusicx was INCREDIBLE singing america the beautiful at the #SuperBowl....like....i’m SPEECHLESS and STILL thinking about it.
— JOANNA (@Jobazzle) February 7, 2021 @Jobazzle
H.E.R. Totally kiiiiilllleeeddd America the beautiful! Omg that was so beautiful! I think that was best version EVER #Her pic.twitter.com/0BUMSduSE8
— ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@Lilah425) February 7, 2021 @Lilah425
Didn’t think I’d cry about #SuperBowl but between the lives lost to Covid (my brother) and H.E.R. singing America the Beautiful I’m already pic.twitter.com/3jpV3H8Ajq
— Julie B (@TheBaniac) February 7, 2021 @TheBaniac
Jazmine Sullivan should have done this by herself #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/PgQjD67WOv
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 7, 2021 @Phil_Lewis_
The way Jazmine Sullivan ate up the national anthem !! Literally caught shivers watching !! 🤧😭 pic.twitter.com/88DwgUQeyh
— Leini 🧚🏾♀️ (@imjustlleini) February 7, 2021 @imjustlleini
jazmine doesn’t need duets. 🤷🏿♀️
— DAWN (@DawnRichard) February 7, 2021 @DawnRichard
My face when they said performing the national anthem, Jazmine Sullivan AND Eric Church pic.twitter.com/gQ7mnVbOCD
— Ninja Honda (@_AntDawg) February 7, 2021 @_AntDawg
It was nice Jazmine let her lil friend sing with her
— Vinny Thomas ! (@vinn_ayy) February 7, 2021 @vinn_ayy
me after the Jazmine Sullivan performance #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/Ttr4UpXgah
— ilyssa (@undrcver_jggalo) February 7, 2021 @undrcver_jggalo
#SUPERBOWL REHEARSAL CONVOS-
— Adam Blackstone (@adamblackstone) February 7, 2021 @adamblackstone
ERIC: Great Arrangement Bro BUT... does SHE always sing this good?!?
ME: YUP.... 🤷🏾♂️☺️
JAZMINE: 🎶🎵🎶#BBE #SUPERBOWLLV #NationalAnthem #ERICCHURCH #JAZMINESULLIVAN #GODISTHEGREATEST pic.twitter.com/dzH776RJR2
Girl was good. Guy sucked.
— Mike | Merk (@PhillyMerk) February 7, 2021 @PhillyMerk
Bruh. She ate that shit tf up!! Should've sang alone!
— Chez (@eze_eche) February 7, 2021 @eze_eche
I dunno I thought version of the national anthem with Jazmine Sullivan’s vocals and that dude knowing he can’t keep up was lovely.
— Rae Sanni Stan Account (@raesanni) February 7, 2021 @raesanni
Jazmine ate that boy up.
— Ryan Forever (@KoolestKidOut) February 7, 2021 @KoolestKidOut
Trying to figure out who told Eric Church that he needed to assist Jazmine Sullivan with the National Anthem. She could have done that all by her amazing self!! #SuperBowl #SBLV pic.twitter.com/DO8Ev1IDvX
— Siobhain (@summer0001) February 7, 2021 @summer0001
Still marveling at the fact that Amanda Gorman made poetry so cool that of all the stars in the American cultural universe, the NFL chose her words to play just before the coin toss of the Super Bowl. Incredible talent.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) February 7, 2021 @chelsea_janes
Amanda Gorman is RIVETING! She is powerful. She is inspirational. She is uplifting.
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) February 7, 2021 @glennkirschner2
I. AM. IN. AWE.
Amanda Gorman continues to be the best part of 2021. ❤️
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) February 7, 2021 @DGComedy
Honor frontline workers. Wear your mask! #Superbowl
I think it's very cool they are playing a football game to celebrate the Amanda Gorman poetry reading
— Leslie Grossman (@MissLeslieG) February 7, 2021 @MissLeslieG
We adore you @TheAmandaGorman 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 #SuperBowlSunday
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) February 7, 2021 @kerrywashington
Amanda Gorman shines again.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) February 7, 2021 @BillieJeanKing
A beautiful poem for the #SuperBowl. ❤️
