Singer Brantley Gilbert Defends TPUSA’s Alternative Halftime: ‘It’s Been More Than 20 Years Since a Country Artist Has Been Asked to Play the Super Bowl Halftime Show’
Country singer Brantley Gilbert has taken to social media to defend the controversial alternative halftime show being put on Sunday by Turning Point USA, insisting “I’m not playing this show to be divisive” and that diverting viewers from Bad Bunny’s actual Super Bowl performance fits in with his belief that “we stand united” in America.
His statement on X, Instagram and Threads also says that one reason for doing an alternative to the real Super Bowl halftime is that country artists have been all but shut out of it.
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“It’s been more than 20 years since a country artist has been asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show,” Gilbert stated.
Additionally, he said that performing as part of the TPUSA show — which many have characterized as a protest against the NFL booking Bad Bunny, who sings entirely in Spanish — is for him a fulfillment, of sorts, of his dream of singing at the Super Bowl.
“I respect that some people may see this differently, but I’m not playing this show to be divisive,” Gilbert wrote. “I was offered this opportunity and imagined my kids watching their daddy perform at halftime during the biggest game in American Football. Everything I do, I do for them.”
Inevitably, dismissive comments followed on all the social platforms where Gilbert posted, with detractors writing that Gilbert performing “during” the big game comes hardly counts. Among the replies from non-fans: “You’re not playing in the Super Bowl half time show. You’re playing in a pretend half time show because 1/2 of this country hates immigrants.” “Nothing says UNITED like doing a SEPARATE show.” And: “If I run out to my front yard and scream a song into the street I have performed at halftime of the Super Bowl in the exact same way you have.”
Gilbert is correct in stating that it has been more than two decades since a country artist was booked for the Super Bowl halftime. Historically, it has only happened twice: in 2003, when Shania Twain shared halftime duties with No Doubt, and a decade before than in 1993, when the Judds, Clint Black, Tanya Tucker and Travis Tritt were part of a “Rockin’ Country Sunday” halftime.
However, country artists have taken part in other Super Bowl music duties in recent years, especially the singing of the national anthem. Country performers had a four-year streak of doing “The Star-Spangled Banner” this decade: Reba McEntire in 2024, Chris Stapleton in 2023, Mickey Guyton in 2022, and Eric Church doing it alongside Jazmine Sullivan in 2021. Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood sang the anthem going further back into the 2010s.
Even if the TPUSA show is being seen as, in effect, a protest event, Gilbert suggested that it will actually be unifying, not divisive, although he did not say who he expected to be unified by the show.
“The way I treat people isn’t conditional based on what our differences may be. I believe ‘united we stand, divided we fall,’ and my prayer for our country is that we stand united,” he wrote.
Gilbert is one of four performers announced in advance for the alternative show, being put on by the conservative organization TPUSA, founded by Charlie Kirk and now led by his widow, Erika Kirk. The others are fellow country artists Gabby Barrett and Lee Brice and the event’s always-polarizing headliner, Kid Rock.
The full text of Gilbert’s statement reads: “For those asking ‘who is Brantley Gilbert?’ and ‘why is he playing this event?’ I’m a songwriter who grew up and still lives in Jackson County, GA, whose goal in the music business was to sell out the local theater a few miles from my house and somehow make my living writing songs. I’m a recovering addict with the history of all the bad choices that come with it. I’m not proud of those choices, but I am proud of the choice I’ve made to live in another direction. I share my story through my music, in hopes that it may help and inspire others in their darkest hour. I’m a Christian, and I love our country, despite its flaws. I’ve dedicated part of my life to the men and women who fight for it, and the families of those who gave their life for it. Above all, I’m a proud husband and father of three.
“We’re celebrating 250 years as a country, and it’s been more than 20 years since a country artist has been asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show,” his statement continues. “I respect that some people may see this differently, but I’m not playing this show to be divisive. I was offered this opportunity and imagined my kids watching their daddy perform at halftime during the biggest game in American Football. Everything I do, I do for them.”
Gilbert concluded, “The way I treat people isn’t conditional based on what our differences may be. I believe ‘United we stand, divided we fall,’ and my prayer for our country is that we stand united. Thank you to my road family and all the fans who have stood beside me. Looking forward to hitting the stage this Sunday and giving folks a hell of a show.”
Gilbert’s most recent album for the Big Machine label group, “Tattoos,” debuted at No. 42 on the Billboard country albums chart in 2024. He had a run of significant hits in the 2010s, racking up five No. 1 country airplay singles between 2011-2019.
Outside of music, Gilbert has been known for his gun rights advocacy. In 2015, he got a full-back tattoo consisting of script from the second amendment to the Constitution and two giant-sized pistols.
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