Who is singing at the Super Bowl 2026? What to know about halftime show, anthem

The main draw of the Super Bowl is the on-field action, and the New England Patriots vs.Seattle Seahawksmatchup inSuper Bowl 60won't be any different.

That said, the battle between the AFC and NFC champions won't be the only entertainment on display at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. TheNFLfeatures numerous musical performances that supplement the Super Bowl, a tradition dating back to the game's early days.

The Super Bowl halftime showhas become one of the world's most prestigious annual concert events, and many of the world's top musical acts have performed in it. The pregame vocal performances are also a great honor and provide artists with significant exposure, as about 100 million people worldwide tune in to the Super Bowl.

Which musical acts will be a part of the Super Bowl lineup in 2026? Here's what to know about the singers and musicians who will be in action during the pregame and halftime festivities.

<p style=Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs onstage during the first show of his 30-date (which ended up being 31 in total) concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny thanked his fans for "letting me sing in my home in front of my friends, my family and my people" on what was the final night of his residency in September 2025. "Thank you for that," he said. "I love you, thank you for being a part of this."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=On top of his Puerto Rico residency, Bad Bunny was also juggling life as a Hollywood actor attending the premiere of "Caught Stealing" on Aug. 26, 2025, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny starred alongside Austin Butler in the movie.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Earlier in summer 2025, Bad Bunny was spotted at Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2" premiere on July 21, 2025, in New York City, which he starred alongside Adam Sandler.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny at the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2025. Bad Bunny gave a playful Puerto Rican twist to the Black dandy theme with a crisp espresso brown suit. He paired the custom-made Prada ensemble with a brimmed hat resembling a pava, a traditional straw hat made from leaves of the Puerto Rican hat palm.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny onstage at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=In February 2025, Bad Bunny attended "SNL50: The Anniversary Special" in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny performs during his Most Wanted Tour at the Kaseya Center in Miami on May 24, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny attends the Dior Homme Menswear spring/summer 2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 21, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=Bad Bunny performs at the Crypto.com Arena during his Most Wanted tour in Los Angeles, March 13, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny poses in the press room during the 96th Annual Academy Awards at Ovation Hollywood on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Bad Bunny performs the first stop of his Most Wanted Tour in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Delta Center on Feb. 21, 2024. For his first show of the Most Wanted Tour, Bad Bunny didn't hold back on performing all but three songs ( Bad Bunny split the show into three acts, performing first his Bad Bunny rode into the Delta Center venue on a horse on Feb. 21, 2024. Performing a total of 37 songs, not including the orchestra that introduced him at the top of the night before segueing into Bad Bunny arrives for the Billboard Latin Music Awards at the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida, on Oct. 5, 2023. Bad Bunny in his high fashion era, seen at Gucci Ancora during Milan Fashion week on September 22, 2023 in Milan, Italy. Bad Bunny turned heads at the 2023 Met Gala in a white suit and rosette-covered cape by fashion designer Jacquemus. Bad Bunny performs onstage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 21, 2023. Bad Bunny rocks out next to a pair of neon blue bunny ears during Weekend 2 at Coachella 2023. During his Coachella performance on April 14, 2023, Bad Bunny led his fans through a gamut of emotions, dances, ballads about heartbreak and tales of bouncing back from lost love. With set designs, multiple outfits and song choices centered on the streets of Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny's set was an allusion to his journey from an austere Puerto Rican neighborhood to the highest echelons of California celebrity. In March 2023, Bad Bunny, left, was honored with the Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards by Ricky Martin. Bad Bunny put Puerto Rico front and center during his 65th Grammy Awards performance on Feb. 5, 2023. Bad Bunny was also nominated for album of the year at the 2023 Grammys. While Harry Styles took AOTY at the Grammys, Bad Bunny accepted the award for best música urbana album for To commemorate Bad Bunny's end-of-year Spotify Wrapped numbers and 3-peat title of the most streamed artist on the platform, the Puerto Rican superstar was presented with three championship-style rings designed by Jason of Beverly Hills on Dec. 10, 2022 in Mexico City. Bad Bunny concluded the U.S. leg of his  Cardi B, Chencho Corleone, Ivy Queen and reggaeton duo Jowell y Randy." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny, left, brought out rapper Cardi B on Oct. 1, where the two performed their hit song For his Sept. 30 show, Bad Bunny invited Li Saumet of Bomba Estéreo to perform Bad Bunny and Dominican American reggaeton star Arcángel hit the stage during his Oct. 1 show. Bad Bunny, left, blessed fans with a surprise performance from Puerto Rican rapper-singer Ivy Queen. She took the stage at both Inglewood shows in September and October 2022. Bad Bunny closed out Los Angeles on a historic note. The City of Los Angeles honored the megastar for his declaring Oct. 1 as the official Bad Bunny Day." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny put on a fiery performance at the Yankee Stadium in New York City during the 2022 MTV VMAs. He also shared a kiss with one of his backup dancers during the August 2022 performance. That night he made history by becoming the first Latin artist to win artist of the year at the 2022  MTV Video Music Awards. Bad Bunny poses for a portrait on August 1, 2022 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Bad Bunny strikes a pose for USA TODAY. Bad Bunny, in his Hollywood era, strikes a pose for USA TODAY. In the action comedy Bad Bunny is the gift that keeps on giving. For three nights, from July 28-30, the Puerto Rican superstar kicked off his 2022 Fans were blessed with Bad Bunny performing the entirety of his new album and also got a chance to see special guests like Rauw Alejandro, Young Miko, RaiNao, Bomba Estéreo, Jhay Cortez, Chencho Corleone and María Zardoya from The Marías. Many of the artists were also featured in his latest album The Puerto Rican superstar revealed <a href=two new wax figures at Orlando and New York's Madame Tussauds on April 19, 2022. The figure at Madame Tussauds New York is wearing the iconic all-silver look from the Grammy-winner's 2020 Super Bowl performance alongside Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and J Balvin, complete with the same silver jacket he wore. The wax figure in Orlando is wearing an outfit originally from his WWE Royal Rumble performance and is featured in his "Booker T" music video. For the figure, Bad Bunny donated his trenchcoat, vest, trousers, and pants." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Sony Pictures announced during April 2022's CinemaCon that <a href=Bad Bunny is set to portray the title role in "El Muerto," making history as Marvel's first Latino lead in a live-action film. He calls the film the "perfect role" for him.

Before suiting up as the super-powered wrestler, the Puerto Rican rapper will make his big-screen acting debut in the neon-drenched "Bullet Train" (in theaters July 29), doing battle with Brad Pitt." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> He's got <em>range</em>. Bad Bunny made his debut as a professional wrestler in <a href=April 2021 at WWE's WrestleMania 37. In this photo, taken Jan. 29, 2022, Bad Bunny jumped into the ring again during the Royal Rumble match at The Dome at America's Center." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> After making history with Bad Bunny is no stranger to breaking records. He was also named Spotify's most-streamed artist in the world for two consecutive years. During his During his Days prior, Bad Bunny hit the stage at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Nov. 18, 2021, to perform during the <a href=22nd Latin Grammy Awards. That night he took home the award for best rap/hip hop song for "Booker T" and best urban music album for "El Último Tour del Mundo."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny attends the American Music Awards on Nov. 21, 2021, rocking a monochromatic look with black and silver shades on the red carpet. Bad Bunny decked out in all leather at the Billboard Music Awards broadcast in May 2021. Bad Bunny made his debut as a professional wrestler in April 2021 at WWE's WrestleMania 37. Pictured here, he and Damian Priest face The Mix and John Morrison during a tag team match. That same night, Bad Bunny takes flight at WrestleMania. Earlier that month, Bad Bunny performed onstage during Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 2. Amid the peak of the pandemic in 2020, Bad Bunny gave fans a treat. That September, he performed a concert on a moving flatbed truck in New York, stopping traffic all throughout the city. His one-of-its-kind concert began at Yankee Stadium and made its way to Harlem Hospital where Bad Bunny honored front-line workers. <em>History in the making. </em>In June 2020, Bad Bunny became the first Latin urban musician to pose for the cover of Rolling Stone (his then-girlfriend, Gabriela Berlingeri, became the first Latina to shoot a Rolling Stone cover photo and Latin music editor Suzy Exposito was the first Latina to write a cover story for the magazine). Bad Bunny at the 20th annual Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas in November 2019. That same night, he accepted the award for best urban album at the Latin Grammys. In July 2019, Bad Bunny participated in a series of demonstrations in Puerto Rican demanding then-Gov. Ricardo Rosello's resignation. Around that time, Bad Bunny also took to social media to voice is concerns and support of the people of his hometown. Wearing a rainbow Louis Vuitton ensemble and visor-like sunglasses, Bad Bunny gave it his all at his first solo Coachella set. That same night, Bad Bunny joined Will Smith and Marc Anthony to perform Pictured here, Bad Bunny rocks his signature third eye at the 2018 American Music Awards. 2018 was a big year for Bad Bunny. The young Puerto Rican star also attended the Latin Grammy Awards that year in November at the MGM Grand Garden Area in Las Vegas. Bad Bunny made his first Coachella appearance in April 2018, when Cardi B brought him out along with J Balvin to perform their single

Bad Bunny will headline Super Bowl 2026. Here's the Puerto Rican star's career in photos.

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs onstage during the first show of his 30-date (which ended up being 31 in total) concert residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on July 11, 2025.

Who is singing at the Super Bowl 2026?

Super Bowl 60 will feature several musical acts as part of its entertainment. Per usual, the most notable will be the halftime show and anthem singer.

Here's a look at the musicians scheduled to perform as part of the ceremonies before and during the game:

  • National Anthem: Charlie Puth

  • "America The Beautiful": Brandi Carlile

  • "Lift Every Voice and Sing": Coco Jones

  • Halftime show: Bad Bunny

More guests may be added to the lineup ahead of the Super Bowl 60 halftime show. It isn't clear whether they will be announced in advance or whether any surprise guests will join Bad Bunny during his set.

Who is Charlie Puth?

Puth is a singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the early 2010s after song covers he posted to YouTube went viral. He appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2011 and performeda cover of Adele's "Someone Like You" with Emily Lutherbefore releasing his debut single "Marvin Gaye" in 2015.

Puth has since released three albums – including Voicenotes, which was nominated for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the 61st Grammy Awards – and has a fourth coming out on March 27. The 34-year-old is best-known for collaborating with Wiz Khalifa on "See You Again" – which earned a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year – and his singles "We Don't Talk Anymore" (featuringSelena Gomez), "Attention," "Light Switch" and "Left and Right" (featuring Jungkook).

Who is Brandi Carlile?

Carlile is a singer and songwriter whose career started in 2004. She has released eight albums – with genres spanning from folk rock to country music – while also producing music for television and film.

Carlile has won 11 Grammy Awards during her career. Notably, her song "The Joke" was nominated for four Grammys in 2019, winning two, while "Crowded Table" – a collaboration with Amanda Shires, Maren Morris and Natalie Hemby as part of an all-female quartet known as The Highwomen – won Best Country Song in 2021.

Carlile, 44, has also won two Emmy Awards and was nominated for the Best Original Song category at the 97th Academy Awards for her work with Elton John on the song "Never Too Late" from the documentary "Elton John: Never Too Late."

Who is Coco Jones?

Jones is a 28-year-old singer, songwriter and actress who was a child star at Disney. She got her start on "Radio Disney's Next Big Thing" in 2010, which led to her getting a deal with the company's Hollywood Records.

Jones also appeared in TV series with Disney, including "So Random!" and "Good Luck Charlie," and played the lead role of Roxie Andrews in the Disney Channel original movie "Let It Shine." She has since appeared in the TV series "Bel-Air" as Hillary Banks and was an advisor on Season 27 of NBC's "The Voice."

Jones released her debut studio album "Why Not More?" in 2025, and the lead single from it – "Here We Go (Uh Oh)" – earned a Best R&B Song nomination at the Grammy Awards. She is also known for her 2022 single "ICU," which was her first song to crack the Billboard Hot 100.

Who is Bad Bunny?

Bad Bunny is a 31-year-old Puerto Rican rapper, singer and producer who was named Billboard's Artist of the Year in 2022. He rose to prominence in 2016 after his song "Diles" and was featured on Cardi B's No. 1 single "I Like It" in 2018.

Bad Bunny has released six solo studio albums – including "Un Verano Sin Ti," which was the first-ever Spanish-language album to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards – and also collaborated on "Oasis" with J Balvin. He is known as the "King of Latin Trap" and is one of the most-streamed artists of all-time, leading Spotify in total global streams from 2020-22 and in 2025.

In addition to his musical career, Bad Bunny has appeared in several WWE events, including WrestleMania 37 and the 2022 Royal Rumble. He also has appeared in several movies, including "Bullet Train," "Cassandro," "Caught Stealing" and "Happy Gilmore 2."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is singing at the Super Bowl 2026? Performers, more to know

Who is singing at the Super Bowl 2026? What to know about halftime show, anthem

The main draw of the Super Bowl is the on-field action, and the New England Patriots vs.Seattle Seahawksmatchup inSuper B...
7 Shows You Need to Watch On Netflix This February

Liam Daniel/Netflix; Christopher Barr/Netflix

People Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek, Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in episode 404 of Bridgerton; How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Season 1. Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara Friel, Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse Shaw, Sinead Keenan as Robyn Winters Liam Daniel/Netflix; Christopher Barr/Netflix

Ready for theOlympicsor the romantic conclusion ofBenedict and Sophie's love story?

If you answered yes to either of these questions,Netflixis the place for you to be this February. This month, the streamer is centering several reality TV favorites and bringing the Valentine's Day love.

At the top of February, a new docuseries calledGlitter & Goldgives viewers all the juicy context they need on theOlympic sport of ice dancingin preparation for the Milan Cortina Olympics; at the end of the month, fans of the ton can slip back intoBridgertonto see the dramatic conclusion of season 4.

Sprinkled in between are the return of beloved series likeThe Lincoln Lawyerand a new story from fan-favoriteDerry Girlscreator Lisa McGee.

Here are the seven shows coming to Netflix in February 2026 you can't miss.

Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing(Feb. 1)

Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry in Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing Netflix

Three ice dancing pairs take center stage inGlitter & Gold: Ice Dancing, a new docuseries that shines a light on the sport ahead of the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Married couple Evan Bates and Madison Chock, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier and Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron train, compete and show their vulnerable sides in the high-stakes sports series from the same team that producedSimone Biles Rising.

WatchGlitter & Gold: Ice Dancingon Netflix on Feb. 1

The Lincoln Lawyerseason 4 (Feb. 5)

Becki Newton as Lorna Crane, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, Angus Sampson as Denis

Kim Alexis/Netflix

Everyone's favorite lawyer is back and in even more trouble than ever before this season. Mickey (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) kicks off season 4 ofThe Lincoln Lawyeraccused of murder after the shocking cliffhanger ending of season 3.

The following episodes promise to show Mickey defend himself inside and outside of court after years of doing the same for others.

WatchThe Lincoln Lawyerseason 4 on Netflix on Feb. 5

Love Is Blindseason 10 (Feb. 11)

Love is Blind, Season 10 Netflix

Somehow, nine seasons of strangers finding love behind the veil of the pods have already passed and season 10 ofLove Is Blindis upon us! This time, the inventive reality dating show headed to Ohio to scout a new pack of hungry singles looking for selfless love.

Before the show premieres, fans canget a look at the castand pick their favorites.

WatchLove Is Blindseason 10 on Netflix on Feb. 11

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How to Get to Heaven From Belfast(Feb. 12)

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Season 1. Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara Friel, Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse Shaw, Sinead Keenan as Robyn Winters Christopher Barr/Netflix

Christopher Barr/Netflix

With her signature brand of wit and deft handling of complex socio-political dynamics, McGee is back on Netflix withHow to Get to Heaven From Belfastfour years after her showDerry Girlsended.

McGee's new series follows three high school friends, played by Roísín Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne, as they reunite at a wake for a mutual friend's death and unknowingly embark on a mystery-solving adventure across Ireland.

Expect gorgeous views and side-splitting laughter.

WatchHow to Get to Heaven From Belfaston Netflix on Feb. 12

The Night Agentseason 3 (Feb. 19)

Luciane Buchanan as Rose Larkin and Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland in episode 206 of The Night Agent. Christopher Saunders/Netflix

Christopher Saunders/Netflix

Gabriel Bassois back for a third time as the unexpected hero night agent in the next chapter of Netflix's beloved thriller series.

In season 3, Basso's character, Peter Sutherland, will travel the world, including stops in Istanbul, Mexico City, Washington, New York and the Dominican Republic while he tries to unpack a confusing web of lies in the White House.

WatchThe Night Agentseason 3 on Netflix on Feb. 19

Bridgertonseason 4, part 2 (Feb. 26)

Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton in episode 404 of Bridgerton. Liam Daniel/Netflix

Liam Daniel/Netflix

After that disappointing cliffhanger for Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) at the end ofBridgertonseason 4 part 1, the second chapter of her and Benedict's (Luke Thompson) story sure has a lot of ground to cover.

The newest season of theShonda Rhimesromance series follows the pair as they navigate class differences, conniving family members and burgeoning desire.

Part 2 is sure to get steamier and more dramatic.

WatchBridgertonseason 4 part 2 on Netflix on Feb. 26

F1: Drive to Surviveseason 8 (Feb. 27)

Formula 1: Drive to Survive Netflix

This long running racing series takes viewers into the world ofFormula 1, following the biggest drivers and their very large teams.

Fans and newbies alike can learn a lot fromDrive to Surviveboth about how their favorite teams operate and what each driver's life is like off the racetrack.

WatchF1: Drive to Surviveseason 8 on Netflix on Feb. 27

Read the original article onPeople

7 Shows You Need to Watch On Netflix This February

Liam Daniel/Netflix; Christopher Barr/Netflix Ready for theOlympicsor the romantic conclusion ofBenedict and S...
Connor Storrie, left, and Hudson Williams pose together (Harold Feng / Getty Images file)

Russian fans of"Heated Rivalry"could end up in prison if they publicly declare their love for the show, but that hasn't stopped the gay romance about two hockey players from becoming a word-of-mouth hit — and some are subtly displaying their affection.

The show centers on the relationship between Russian Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie, and Canadian Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, who are rivals on the ice but lovers off of it. The two actors have been named officialtorchbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics next month.

The show has grabbed attention for its steamy sex scenes but garnered praise for its depiction of LGBTQ relationships — something that is strictly off-limits in the deeply conservative country.

"You feel like some sort of criminal when watching the series," one female fan told NBC News in a video call earlier this month. "It feels like a protest, some kind of rebellion," the Moscow native added.

NBC News agreed not to name the interviewees in this story because they feared they might be arrested.

As part of a crackdown on LGBTQ people in a country where "traditional family values" have been a cornerstone ofPresident Vladimir Putin's rule, the Russian Supreme Court banned what the government called the LGBTQ "movement" in November 2023,labeling it an extremist organization.

Under the country's criminal law, participating in or financing an extremist organization is punishable by up to 12 years in prison. A person found guilty of displaying symbols like a rainbow flag faces up to 15 days in detention for a first offense and up to four years in prison if they repeatedly offend.

Hudson Williams, left, and Connor Storrie embrace outside (Sabrina Lantos / HBO Max)

There are currently 17 ongoing criminal cases related to LGBTQ "extremism" in Russia, according to the advocacy group Coming Out, and authorities in recent weeks have opened cases against managers at online streaming services Kinopoisk, Wink, Ivi, Amediateka, 24TV and Beeline TV for allegedly promoting LGBTQ propaganda, the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported earlier this month.

Despite the risks, the female fan, 26, said she had a small shrine in her Moscow home with photos and keychains dedicated to the characters in the show, which she first discovered on TikTok.

Made by Crave Media Canada and picked up by HBO Max in the U.S., neither of which is available in Russia, the show is drawing fans on illegal streaming sites and messaging apps like Telegram, where one group has more than 45,000 followers.

Not only are the episodes available to view, they often have Russian subtitles within hours of release in the U.S.

When episodes have arrived late, as was once the case when the internet was shut down due to a drone threat, the administrators of the Telegram groups have apologized.

Bell Media, which owns Crave Media Canada, did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment, nor did Telegram.

Despite viewers' use of illegal methods to watch the show, which is based on Canadian author Rachel Reid's books, it has an 8.5 rating from 45,000 users users on Kinopoisk, a Russian movie review site, similar to IMDb in the West.

Activists walk with rainbow flags around their shoulders (Valya Egorshin / NurPhoto via Getty Images file)

While the fan said she didn't directly reference the show on her social media and it would be "quite dangerous to do so," she added that she knew someone who featured a poster with the show's name on her Telegram Stories. "I think if someone decides to charge her, they can," she said.

The show has already been criticized by Sorok Sorokov, a Russian Orthodox nationalist movement, which called for it to be banned earlier this month, saying its "unnatural depravity" would drive down the country's birth rate. Whether the Kremlin could ban a show that is illegally streamed is unclear.

For members of Russia's LGBTQ community, the series evokes feelings of both pride and fear.

"There's a world out there where you can exist," one 26-year-old gay fan said in a video call earlier this month, adding that in Russia, "you can't kiss your boyfriend on the ice."

Another 22-year-old member of the LGBTQ community cautioned that the risks remained real. "Like with any queer content, it's a Russian roulette. It may be OK or you may be fined or go to jail. That's what's so scary," he said, adding you never know what you can be charged for.

That view was echoed by a lawyer for Coming Out, who said that "the law in Russia is applied very selectively," but you face consequences if the security services come across the content or if someone reports on you to the authorities. "Out of those charged with extremism, more than half are not public figures," they added.

Nonetheless, some are subtly showing their fandom for "Heated Rivalry," which centers on a sport beloved by Putin, a longtime hockey player, who in March proposed in a call withPresident Donald TrumpthatAmerican and Russian skaters should face offagainst each other.

On social media, some have posted videos of themselves ice-skating to music from the show.

Merchandise from the show has now been adopted by fans of "Heated Rivalry" to subtly advertise their allegiance to it.

One 33-year-old male fan said he wore a sweater with characters from a classic Soviet cartoon about hockey rivalry. "If they've seen 'Heated Rivalry,' they'll know right away why I'm wearing this," he said.

He said he had posted about the "romantic" show on his Instagram account but believed that "nothing would happen" unless you were a public or government figure, adding that he'd seen a lot of social media posts from women who had been inspired to attend hockey games because of the show.

Some brands are also trying to discreetly hop on the bandwagon, walking a fine line by selling candles featuring the characters' jersey numbers and editing their products into pictures from the show's premiere.

In the meantime, Russia's LGBTQ community is "still alive," the 22-year-old said, but "it has gone underground."

Gay hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry' becomes hit in Russia, but fandom could lead to prison

Russian fans of"Heated Rivalry"could end up in prison if they publicly declare their love for the show, but that hasn't stopp...
LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to parts of Tennessee and North Carolina and triggering travel nightmares on the region's busiest roads.

The Weather Channel

(MORE:Latest Forecast For Gianna|Maps Tracker)

We're seeing more power outages and other headaches as this storm intensifies into a "bomb cyclone," so stay with us all day for the latest news, and refresh this page frequently to reveal new updates.

(06:13 a.m. EST) Not A Beach Weekend In North Myrtle Beach

Several inches of snow have fallen in North Myrtle Beach, and this scene paints a pretty good picture of why this beach destination wasn't looking too beachy overnight:

Just north of there, snow totals were impressive: 5 inches in Little River, and 12 inches in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

(05:56 a.m. EST) An Update On That I-85 Pileup In North Carolina

Kannapolis Fire and Police

Late last night, we told you about a major pileup involving about 100 vehicles along Interstate 85 near Kannapolis, North Carolina. According to the Charlotte Observer, the interstatewas reopened at around 9 p.m.after police, fire and the National Guard worked to clear the scene.

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The good news: There did not appear to be any serious injuries from the massive collision.

The bad news: It was one of 750 collisions reported to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol by Saturday night.

(05:47 a.m. EST) Power Outages Rising

With a windy system, power outages are always bound to happen. According toPowerOutage.us, here's where we're seeing the highest number of outages in the path of Gianna:

  • Florida: 16,000 customers

  • North Carolina: 5,000

  • South Carolina: 4,800

This adds to the more than 100,000 homes and businesses still powerless in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana more than a week after Winter Storm Fern.

(05:41 a.m. EST) There's Snow In St. Pete!

As the models were suggesting, snow flurries were possible as far south as St. Petersburg, Florida, and shortly after midnight, we got ground truth.

(05:30 a.m. EST) It's Like A Hurricane Along The Outer Banks

Just look at these winds and blowing snow from overnight along North Carolina's Outer Banks as the winter storm intensified and battered the coast:

LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to pa...

 

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