Jennifer Hudson's Sunday night performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the FIFA World Cup Final is still making the rounds online - and not everyone agrees on how it landed.
The EGOT winner, dressed in a custom white Thom Browne three-piece look, delivered her anthem rendition before the Spain-Argentina final at New York New Jersey Stadium. Fans familiar with her gospel and R&B background loved the performance, while others thought her version leaned too slow.
On social media, reactions split down the middle. Some fans wrote simply, "Jennifer Hudson singing the USA anthem, wow!" and called for her to sing the anthem at every major sporting event going forward. Others felt differently, with some viewers questioning her pacing and phrasing choices, calling the arrangement "overly measured."
Part of the debate also centered on format rather than Hudson herself - some viewers questioned why the U.S. anthem was featured at all in a final that didn't include Team USA, despite the country's role as tournament host.
Whatever the take on style, Hudson's steadiness under a global spotlight is nothing new. Her vocal foundation was built in church choir under her grandmother's direction in Chicago, and she has spoken openly about leaning on her faith through her hardest seasons. That grounding was on full display again Sunday - measured or not, it was gospel-trained confidence carrying her through one of the biggest stages in sports.
Hudson's look for the performance was a custom white Thom Browne three-piece design with navy piping, continuing the elegant, church-inspired aesthetic she's known for on big stages.
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