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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Alicia Keys reacts after singing the national anthem before the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jennifer Hudson performs with students from Sandy Hook Elementary School singing "America the Beautiful" before the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Alicia Keys performed a lounge-y, piano-tinged — and live — version of the national anthem ahead of the Super Bowl.
The Grammy-winning singer played the piano as she sang “The Star Spangled Banner” in a long red dress with her eyes shut. Her publicist said the performance was live, days after halftime performer Beyonce admitted singing along to a prerecorded track at the Inauguration.
Keys’ version was soft and featured additional lyrics: She added “living in the home” before belting “home of the brave” as she finished the song.
Before Keys hit the field, Jennifer Hudson performed “America the Beautiful” with the 26-member Sandy Hook Elementary School chorus, a performance that had some players on the sideline on the verge of tears.
The students wore green ribbons on their shirts in honor of the 20 first-graders and six adults who were killed in a Dec. 14 shooting rampage at the school in Newton, Conn.
The students began the song softly before Hudson, whose mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew were shot to death five years ago, jumped in with her gospel-flavored vocals. She stood still in black and white as the students moved to the left and right, singing background.
Keys and Hudson warmed up the field for Beyonce, who is set to perform at the half-time show.
