Share

Mars ready to rock Super Bowl

New York - Hit singer Bruno Mars shrugged off the pressure of his half-time performance at Sunday's Super Bowl, saying he's not scared of the National Football League championship spectacle's global spotlight.

The 28-year-old from Honolulu, whose mother was from the Philippines and whose father was from New York, will perform during Super Bowl 48, which pits the Seattle Seahawks against the Denver Broncos for the NFL crown.

"It's my job to uplift the people," Mars said on Thursday. "I'm going to give it all I've got. Whatever happens happens. I ain't scared if that's what you think... I want the world to watch.

"I don't do trapeze and all that stuff. I hope to get people dancing and smiling. It's just us with our instruments up there. I hope that's enough."

Mars said after he accepted the offer to perform that he was told he could have another act join him and selected the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who will also sing during the half-time show.

"They are the first band I thought of. They are just a soulful band," he said. "It's an honor to be sharing the stage with them. They are one of my favorite bands of all time."

Asked about some of his favorite prior half-time performers, Mars named Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Beyonce and the late Michael Jackson.

"It's prestigious they gave a new guy a shot," Mars said. "We were all watching last year and wondering what if we got the call to do that.

"We're honored. Some greats have performed on that stage. We're excited about it."

Mars refused to side with one team or the other for the big game, saying that growing up, he followed the University of Hawaii team and attended the annual NFL Pro Bowl all-star game in Honolulu.

"Whoever has got the most Polynesians on their team, that's who we're rooting for," Mars said.

Thanks to Denver defensive lineman Sione Fua, an American of Tongan heritage, you can mark down Mars as a Broncos fan, sort of.

One issue the players and Mars will have to contend with is the cold. This will be the first Super Bowl to be staged outdoors in a cold-weather city and temperatures near freezing are predicted.

"You never know what to expect," Mars said. "We just started rehearsing two nights ago. The microphone turned into a popsicle. It was frozen. Things like that you don't take into consideration.

"We're working on getting heaters for everything."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE