Jennifer Hudson teamed up with the Sandy Hook Elementary School Chorus to perform "America the Beautiful" just minutes before the kickoff of Super Bowl XLVII.
The performance came less than two months after the tragic Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook in Newtown, Conn., that left 26 people dead, including 20 children.
The Oscar winner and former American Idol contestant, who next appears in NBC's Smash, wore a tight black top and white pencil skirt to perform the song at New Orleans' Superdome.
PHOTOS: From Emma Stone to Jennifer Hudson, 12 Reality Stars Turned Actors
Hudson received praise for the performance on Twitter:
"Jennifer Hudson was looking like she meant it. Seriously," wrote Aisha Tyler, while Kelly Osbourne tweeted: "Jennifer Hudson was fantastic! She brought it!"
For her part, Hudson tweeted beforehand that it was a "privilege" to perform with the students.
After Hudson's peformance, Alicia Keys took center stage to perform the National Anthem accompanied by her piano.