A few days ago, we learned from Maroon 5 that the band had decided to play the Super Bowl LIII halftime show, after the show had trouble booking a band or musical artist. Following Maroon 5's decision to join the halftime show, the band's keyboardist PJ Morton has spoken out about the decision to join, even when other groups previously declined. He noted:
You can get bogged down by those things, we're not focusing on the negative now [while] being aware, being open, and definitely not ignoring the voices. But we're definitely not focusing on the things that don't help, that are counter-productive. We're blocking out the noise. We're just doing what we do. We look to have a good time.
The keyboardist told People that getting to headline the Super Bowl is a "lifelong dream" and when the opportunity arose the group had talks before determining how to move forward and get excited about the gig. Morton also noted there was "a lot" that went into saying yes.
If you've been keeping tabs on the Super Bowl LIII halftime show, some fans have been calling for a boycott following the events that have gone down over the past couple of seasons since former quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose to take a knee during the National Anthem.
PJ Morton tied the band's decision to the decision many players have made through their work within the NFL, noting.
I think there are plenty of people -- a lot of the players, to be honest -- who support Kap and also do their job for the NFL. I think we're doing the same thing. We can support being against police brutality against black and brown people and be in support of being able to peacefully protest and still do our jobs. We just want to have a good time and entertain people while understanding the important issues that are at hand.
Many high end bands and musicians have taken the Super Bowl stage over the years. In general, the Super Bowl telecast is a large venue and offers a ton of exposure. Not only is the stadium packed, but more than 100 million people watch the telecast on TV each year.
For example, Super Bowl LI brought in 111.3 million total viewers and Super Bowl LII brought in 103.4 million total viewers.
It's been a monumental year for both Maroon 5 and PJ Morton. "Girls like You" has been a big hit for Maroon 5. In addition, PJ Morton has been nominated for some Grammys for his R&B album Gumbo Unplugged. The Super Bowl gig should just be another memorable moment in a year that is chock full of them. Super Bowl LIII airs on February 3, only on CBS.
