Ellie Goulding’s Thanksgiving Halftime Performance Wardrobe Left NFL Fans Scratching Their Heads

Singer Ellie Goulding may have a great voice and plenty of talent, but those watching the Thanksgiving Day game between the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills on CBS were left puzzled by the hat she wore. The 32-year-old British singer-songwriter wore a hat that some thought looked like a lampshade. Others found it cringe-inducing.

Goulding wore a black-and-white, cowboy-inspired outfit, paired with a cowboy hat with fringes dangling from the brim.

Goulding’s performance came a few months after she released her latest single, “Hate Me,” featuring rapper Juice Wrld. She also released the singles “Flux,” “Mama” and “Sixteen” this year, as she gets fans prepared for her upcoming fifth studio album.

Goulding’s performance almost did not happen in the first place. The “Lights” singer thought about backing out of the Salvation Army-sponsored show after fans pointed out the organization has been accused of anti-LGBTQ stances. After hearing about this, Goulding posted a message on Instagram, saying she would do more research on the charity organization.

“Upon researching this, I have reached out to The Salvation Army and said that I would have no choice but to pull out unless they very quickly make a solid, committed pledge or donation to the LGBTQ community,” Goulding wrote to fans earlier this month. “I am a committed philanthropist as you probably know, and my heart has always been in helping the homeless, but supporting an anti-LGBTQ charity is clearly not something I would ever intentionally do. Thank you for drawing my attention to this.”

Of course, Goulding ended up performing anyway. David Hudson, the National Commander of the Salvation Army, even issued a statement thanking fans and Goulding “for shedding light on misconceptions and encouraging others to learn the truth about The Salvation Army’s mission to serve all, without discrimination. We applaud her for taking the time to learn about the services we provide to the LGBTQ community.”

“Regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity, we’re committed to serving anyone in need. Every day, we provide services such as shelter for the transgender community and resources for homeless youth – 40 percent of whom identify as gay or transgender,” Hudson added, reports the Dallas Morning News.

Photo credit: Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images