Charlie Puth has publicly responded to a Fox News commentator who criticized his upcoming Super Bowl performance, promising a special musical arrangement. The singer, known for hits like “Attention,” was announced as the national anthem performer for Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026. The announcement, made on November 30, 2025, led to immediate online debate, with commentator Link Lauren questioning the choice. Puth addressed the criticism directly on social media, blending respect for past performers with confidence in his own preparation.
What Link Lauren Said About Charlie Puth’s Super Bowl Role
The criticism began on December 1, 2025, when conservative political commentator Link Lauren posted his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter). Lauren compared Puth’s selection to one of the most famous national anthem performances in history.
“Man we’ve fallen from when Whitney Houston sang at the Super Bowl,” Lauren wrote. “Charlie Puth? He’s not gonna give us vocals I’m afraid”.
The post referred to Whitney Houston’s legendary performance at the 1991 Super Bowl, which set a high standard for the song. Lauren’s comment suggested the NFL had chosen a less capable singer, sparking a wave of online discussion.
Charlie Puth’s Direct and Confident Social Media Reply
Charlie Puth did not ignore the critique. Later on December 1, he quote-tweeted Lauren’s post with a detailed and poised response that was seen millions of times.
“I’ll never claim to be as good of a singer as Whitney Houston ever was,” Puth wrote. “But I assure you we’re putting a really special arrangement together—in D major. It’ll be one of my best vocal performances”.
His reply accomplished several things. First, it respectfully acknowledged Houston’s iconic status, which fans appreciated for its humility. Second, it shifted focus to his own preparation, revealing a specific musical key (D major) to signal a thoughtful, custom arrangement. Finally, it confidently set expectations for a top-tier vocal showing. Following Puth’s post, Lauren tempered his initial criticism, writing back, “Can’t wait. I wish you nothing but success…”.
Breaking Down the Challenge of the National Anthem
To further address any doubts about his capability, Puth used his Instagram platform. On November 30, the day of the official NFL announcement, he shared a video where he humorously broke down why “The Star-Spangled Banner” is notoriously difficult to sing.
In the clip, speaking as if coaching a football team, Puth gave his 18 million followers a quick music lesson.
“Did you know that one of the most beautiful pieces of music also happens to be the hardest to sing?” he asked. “Ah, yes, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is a piece of music that has extreme vocal range”.
He explained that most challenging songs span about one octave, but the national anthem requires a singer to navigate from a low D to a high D, plus five additional notes reaching a very high A. This technical breakdown served as a public demonstration of his expertise as a Berklee College of Music-trained musician and producer.
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The Full Super Bowl LX Pregame Lineup
Charlie Puth’s performance is part of a wider pregame show curated by Roc Nation, the NFL’s music partner. The organization has assembled a lineup of artists described as “generational talents”.
- Charlie Puth: Will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the U.S. national anthem.
- Brandi Carlile: The multiple Grammy-winning artist will sing “America the Beautiful”.
- Coco Jones: The singer and actress will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called the Black national anthem.
Desiree Perez, CEO of Roc Nation, said in a statement, “This moment embodies the very best of culture, live performance, and our country, perfectly kicking off game day”. The halftime show for Super Bowl LX will be headlined by global superstar Bad Bunny.
Fan Support and the Backdrop of Super Bowl Controversies
The online reaction to the exchange was largely supportive of Puth. Fans defended his vocal skill and his credentials as a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer. One popular post on his Instagram announcement referenced a lyric from Taylor Swift, declaring, “WE DECLARE CHARLIE PUTH SHOULD BE A BIGGER ARTIST”. This incident is not an isolated case of Super Bowl entertainment facing scrutiny. Earlier in 2025, Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show received complaints to the Federal Communications Commission, with some viewers criticizing the lack of white performers in the all-Black ensemble. Furthermore, Louisiana officials sent a letter ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, expressing concerns that the halftime show might not be “family friendly”. Puth’s calm and professional handling of criticism stands in contrast to these wider cultural debates, focusing the conversation back on music and preparation.
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