Rachel Platten found overnight success in 2015 with her debut single “Fight Song.” The irresistible self-empowerment banger reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a staple on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign trail. Although she has yet to match the viral sensation of “Fight Song, Platten has released a children’s book and continues to support numerous charities. Now, the singer-songwriter is proving she’s “still got a lot of fight left” in her as she faces online criticism for her NFL Wild Card national anthem performance.
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Rachel Platten Performed the National Anthem at NFL Rams-Vikings Matchup
The Los Angeles Rams steamrolled the Minnesota Vikings 27-9 during Monday’s (Jan. 13) NFL Wild Card meeting. And the franchise wasn’t only playing for an NFC divisional bid. Catastrophic wildfires in southern California forced the NFL to move the game to State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona. Originally, the Rams were set for a home-field advantage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The air was thick with emotion as Rachel Platten took centerfield to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In fact, the 43-year-old artist didn’t even try to hold back tears as she sang the final note.
Tonight’s national anthem performed by singer songwriter and author Rachel Platten pic.twitter.com/19VBeVtr6V
— 𝒥𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝒯𝑒𝑒𝓃⚡️🤍| Fan Account (@Rlop1234Goat) January 14, 2025
When it comes to the U.S. national anthem, social media can become an inhospitable place. And many flocked online to express their displeasure with Platten’s rendition.
“Rachel Platten should not do the National Anthem again and that dramatic cry in the camera….give me a break,” one X/Twitter user wrote.
The reactions weren’t all negative, however. On her Instagram Stories, Platten reposted a comment from a fan who said the performance “gave [them] chills.”
“The hardest things in life can bring people together in a beautiful way sometimes,” wrote the “Fight Song” hitmaker. “Go Rams tonight.”
That Rachel Platten National Anthem! 🔥🔥🔥
— Dewayne Standridge (@dewayne72601) January 14, 2025
It Wasn’t the First Time
Rachel Platten previously made headlines when she had to restart her national anthem performance twice at a 2018 soccer match.
In an interview with People magazine, Platten called her flub “incredibly, incredibly embarrassing,” adding that her mind “just went blank.”
“I’m having a hard time forgiving myself, but I’m working on it,” she said.
Featured image by John Salangsang/Shutterstock
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