The Sandy Hook Elementary school provided the heart for the unquestionably garish and excessive 2013 Super Bowl (did you know a 30 second ad during its commercials costs four million dollars!?!).
Tackling America The Beautiful, the elementary school choir sang their little hearts out before Diva, Jennifer Hudson- who has suffered her own tragedies as a result of gun violence- brought the grown-up soul to the affair. In theory it was a grouping that shouldn't have worked, but the voices were masterfully kept in balance so that the youthful and light voices of the children could still be heard complimenting Hudson's resonating pipes.
It was a strangely self-aware and humble take on America The Beautiful. Not because of the way it was sung, but because of those who were chosen to sing it. It points to an awareness of the issues the country still faces in this modern age. Something which isn't usually communicated by other renditions of the patriotic song.
Simply beautiful.
