Grammy-winning artist Brandi Carlile will perform “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl LX pregame show on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. She joins a lineup with Charlie Puth and Coco Jones for the event, which airs on NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock. As she prepares for this major career moment, the singer’s personal life and strong family foundation with her wife, Catherine, are a big part of her story.
Brandi Carlile’s Super Bowl 2026 Performance Details
The NFL announced the pregame performers for Super Bowl LX on November 30, 2025. Charlie Puth will sing the national anthem, while Brandi Carlile is slated to perform “America the Beautiful”. Coco Jones will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black national anthem. The event will also feature historic American Sign Language performances. Deaf music artist Fred Beam will sign the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and Julian Ortiz will sign “America the Beautiful”.
The halftime show will be headlined by Bad Bunny, announced earlier in September. In a first for the Super Bowl, the signed rendition of the Apple Music Halftime Show will be a multilingual program incorporating Puerto Rican Sign Language, led by performer Celimar Rivera Cosme.
Jon Barker, the NFL’s senior vice president of global event production, said the artists bring a “distinct voice to the moment”. Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation, which is helping produce the show, called the performers “generational talents”.
Who Is Brandi Carlile’s Wife, Catherine Carlile?
Brandi Carlile has been married to Catherine Shepherd since 2012. Catherine, often called Catherine Carlile, is much more than the singer’s spouse; she is also her manager and a central figure in her life and career.
The couple’s story began in 2009, not with a romantic meeting, but with a phone call about charity work. At the time, Catherine was working for Paul McCartney’s charity organization. She called Brandi to discuss donating Beatles memorabilia to the singer’s “Fight the Fear Campaign,” which provided self-defense training for women. Their professional conversation sparked a friendship, and they talked regularly for about a year before meeting in person.
When they finally met in New York City in 2010, Brandi was surprised. She had assumed from Catherine’s wise and calm phone demeanor that she was much older.
“Every time I talked to her over the phone, I thought I was talking to somebody who was like 65 years old,” Brandi told PEOPLE. “We met backstage in New York, and we were both like 27.”
Their relationship grew, and they got engaged in June 2012. They married in Boston just three months later, in September 2012. Their wedding day was memorably chaotic, involving a rushed trip to the vet for their dog and a priest who failed to show up for the ceremony. Brandi later described the day on Facebook as “truly one of our best days, completely awkward and human and beautiful”. The couple later held another ceremony in Brandi’s home state of Washington and had a civil ceremony in London in February 2013.
Catherine Carlile’s Career and Partnership with Brandi
Catherine Carlile, born in London, comes from a creative family. Her father is actor Jack Shepherd, known for the TV series Wycliffe. She initially pursued acting, with roles in films like Paddington and Paddington 2 and on TV shows. She has also worked as a writer for series such as Apple TV’s The Shrink Next Door and The Buccaneers.
After a decade with Paul McCartney’s charity, Catherine eventually left to work with Brandi full-time. Today, she manages the singer’s career and helps run their philanthropic Looking Out Foundation. While Brandi is the public-facing star, Catherine is often described as the “quiet power” and “anchor” behind the scenes.
The couple also shares a musical connection. Brandi has mentioned that Catherine plays guitar and sings well, and they often have jam sessions at home together.
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Brandi and Catherine Carlile’s Children
Brandi and Catherine are parents to two daughters. Their first child, Evangeline Ruth, was born on June 15, 2014. Their second daughter, Elijah, was born on March 18, 2018. Both children were conceived via fertility treatments, with Evangeline through IVF and Elijah through IUI.
Brandi has been open about the journey of motherhood, sharing that the deep love she feels for her children was profound but not always immediate or easy to navigate. Her song “The Mother” was inspired by Evangeline. She has said that Elijah brought immense joy to their family, calling her a “joy bomb”.
In a recent interview, Brandi reflected on her current happiness, tying it directly to her family.
“I’m the happiest right now. I can see that I’m in a kind of sweet spot: my parents are alive, my kids are little, my wife is hot and my body doesn’t hurt,” she said.
She also shared a touching yet concerning moment from a conversation with her older daughter about marriage equality, which moved her to tears.
Brandi Carlile’s Career Ahead of the Super Bowl
As she approaches her Super Bowl performance, Brandi Carlile’s career is at a high point. She is an 11-time Grammy Award winner. Her latest solo album, Returning to Myself, was released in October 2025 to critical acclaim. She also released a collaborative album with Elton John, Who Believes in Angels?, in April 2025. The song “Never Too Late” from that project earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
The Super Bowl performance is one of several major appearances for Carlile. She was also scheduled to perform at the 2025 CMA Awards on November 19.
