New England Patriots

With the flu, Pink powers through pre-Super Bowl concert

Published Feb. 3, 2018 11:52 a.m. ET

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Battling the flu, pop star Pink powered through a pre-Super Bowl concert, still hitting high notes, flying in the air and dancing onstage days before she will sing the national anthem at the big game.

Pink skipped some of the words during the songs, relying on her backup singers Friday at Nomadic Live at the Armory in Minneapolis. But she was still energetic and spirited, ending the set with her signature high-flying athleticism while singing the pounding hit, "So What."

The mother of two told the audience she had the flu and that her children "cough into my mouth and I can't stop them `cause they're so cute."

"I'm not going to sound like (crap) all night because you guys are going to help me," she said. "We're going to rock the (expletive) out and have a good time."

As she began to sing "Beautiful Trauma" -- from her recent album of the same name -- she quickly stopped her band and told the crowd, "I can't do it."

"I hate this," she said. "I can't do that song. I'm sorry."

Pink will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Sunday at the U.S. Bank Stadium before the New England Patriots take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The 38-year-old singer grew up about 30 miles from Philadelphia and gave a shout-out to the City of Brotherly Love during the show.

She wore a loose white top, loose white pants and red heels as she ran up and down the stage, kicking off the show with the jam "Get the Party Started." She later sang well-known hits like "U + Ur Hand," "Who Knew," "What About Us" and "Raise Your Glass."

Despite feeling under the weather, she was exceptional when she covered 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up," a crowd favorite.

"We're gonna wake up the entire neighborhood," she said before singing the song.