Adele has allegedly backed out of negotiations to perform at the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show after the public murder of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk earlier this year.
The 37-year-old Grammy winner was in exclusive negotiations to play at the NFL's flagship event in Santa Clara, California, according to insiders close to the singer.
However, increased concerns over public safety have left her "terrorized," insiders revealed to RadarOnline
One of the music industry executives revealed the singer's supposed reaction. "She is petrified after what happened to Kirk," the executive told the publication.
"There is no way she will stand in front of 100 million people at the Super Bowl now. Adele thinks she would have a bullseye on her back," he added.
Adele, who famously turned down the halftime invitation in 2016, also cited creative reasons.
Addressing a Los Angeles audience at the time, as reported by The Rolling Stone, she told them, "First of all, I'm not doing the Super Bowl... I mean, that show is not about music. I can't dance or anything like that. They were very kind, they did ask me, but I did say no."
Now, sources as per RadarOnline say her initial unwillingness has transformed into actual fear in the face of Kirk's assassination at a campus function earlier this year.
One of her team members noted a significant change in her lifestyle. "She barely leaves home anymore except for work commitments," the insider told RadarOnline.
"She has staff and close family around her, but otherwise she avoids the outside world. Adele tells us she is frightened of becoming a target like Kirk," the insider added.
A second friend close to the singer provided further insight into her mindset. "Her behavior is the same privately as what fans see in her candid moments online – flashes of humor and warmth mixed with sudden fear," the source described.
"She talks about her son constantly and says she has to stay alive for him. The paranoia about appearing in public is real..," the source added.
Adele has always been uncomfortable with celebrity culture and mass performances. The recent upsurge in political violence appears to have solidified her decision to stay away from events with high-level public exposure.
NFL organizers have not issued any statement on possible alternatives for the Super Bowl 2026 halftime show so far.
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