Pink came through on Sunday evening with a beautiful rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” despite her battle with the flu leading up to the Super Bowl.
The singer followed through on her promise of practicing the flu away, taking the field for the national anthem with no issues.
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.@Pink kicks off #SB52 with the National Anthem https://t.co/6ibSQcMzcB pic.twitter.com/jJjjIYuDil
โ Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 4, 2018
The NFL announced that Pink had been tapped for the national anthem on Jan. 8. She was overjoyed to get the job, writing on Instagram that she’d wanted to do it ever since she saw her “my idol, Whitney Houston own this song” at the Super Bowl in 1991.
She became even more starstruck when she learned that the Philadelphia Eagles had made it into Super Bowl LII. Pink is a lifelong fan of the Eagles, being from a small town in Pennsylvania herself.
However, in the week leading up to the game, concerns began to arise about the singer’s health. Pink revealed that she was sick on Instagram on Saturday, just one day before the event.
“Trying to practice the flu away,” she wrote. “My chance has finally come. And it just so happens that this chance comes when I have two small Petri dish kids who literally cough INTO MY MOUTH and rub their snot on my cheek. You can’t write this stuff I swear! And here we are. I’ve arrived at another one of my dreams which is slowly becoming a sort of nightmare.
“I will tell you, this is one of the biggest honors of my life, singing this song in front of my family, my military family, my dad and brother and step mama and family and the world. And the EAGLES!?!?! I promise I will do my best, as I always do. As far as the gremlins that got me into this mess, you can cough at me for the rest of your lives. If it’s a contest, babies, you win.”
With this year’s strain, a flu diagnosis is nothing to shake off and work through. The virus has spread stubbornly and overtaken people with or without the vaccine. It has even claimed several lives, with the CDC warns that it’s only continuing to spread.
In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, 16 children passed away from flu-related complications, bringing the total up to 53 deaths for the year.
Based on fan’s reaction, Pink powered through her disease to pull off a solid performance.
OH MY GOD @PINK JUST COMPLETELY BLEW ME AWAY. pic.twitter.com/qXqv366Eu0
โ Jerusha Tano-Fett | Former Mermaid ๐ง๐ปโโ๏ธ (@jerushatanofett) February 4, 2018
Crazy respect for @Pink who turned it out even with the flu. Thanks for making us proud ๐บ๐ธ #SuperBowl2018
โ Scott Nevins (@ScottNevins) February 4, 2018
Ummmm if Pink had the Flu….. The Flu lost today. She nailed the National Anthem #Wpxi pic.twitter.com/k4HIaqjaif
โ Damany (@DamanyLEWIS) February 4, 2018
Man, @Pink just killed it singing the National Anthem! #Pink #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/ibwWsSNJK1
โ Jasmine Cain (@jasminecainrock) February 4, 2018