The British musician performed ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ home game against the Seattle Seahawks
Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson offered his take on the American national anthem at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.
The English musician was asked to perform the song at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first home game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks, noting on Instagram that it was “a huge honour” to be invited. Dickinson left the field to chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!”
“I’ll let you in to a secret,” Dickinson said in a recent interview on podcast The Charismatic Voice. “I’ve got to sing the national anthem in Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’ve asked me to do this. I’m going to do it a cappella and stuff, and as long as you start at the right place, you’re good to go.”
Fans were entertained by the NFL‘s decision to enlist a musician from the U.K. to perform America’s anthem at a very American sport. “The most random thing I saw today was a British man singing the American national anthem,” one commenter wrote on Instagram. Another added, “Why is a Brit singing the American national anthem? Especially at this current time?”
Dickinson is currently on the North American leg of his Mandrake Project solo tour. It continues on Tuesday in Toronto before heading to Montreal later this week. The tour wraps in Los Angeles on Oct. 5 with a show at the Wiltern.
Iron Maiden is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025, with a new documentary about the metal greats is slated to be released later this year. Directed by Malcolm Venville, the as-yet-untitled film will dig into Iron Maiden’s remarkable 50-year history and legacy, telling the story from the perspective of both band and fans (including famous ones like Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich, and Gene Simmons). The film will also feature interviews with key members from throughout the band’s run, including the last interview with original vocalist Paul Di’Anno, who died last year.