Alicia Keys emotional performance of US National Anthem at Super Bowl XLVII

Alicia Keys cut a striking figure as she sat down behind a silvery white grand piano in the middle of the field at the Super Bowl on Sunday to deliver an all-new version of the Star Spangled Banner before kick off in New Orleans.

Alicia Keys showed no nerves as she confidently sung a mellow, jazzy rendition of anthem in front of an estimated audience of more than 150 million.

The US National Anthem was interspersed with shots of American soldiers overseas spliced with emotional watching athletes.

At the culmination of her performance, Alicia Keys closed her eyes and held her arms aloft in a type of victory salute.

Following the furor of Beyonce lip syncing to the Star Spangled Banner at President Barack Obama’s Inauguration, the pressure was on Alicia Keys to deliver.

“I’m really excited about it, I can’t even lie,” Alicia Keys told The Huffington Post prior to Sunday’s performance.

“I have to rehearse it totally, as if it’s a brand-new song, because it is actually a brand new song in the style that I’ll deliver it. I’m actually rehearsing it like a maniac.”

Luckily, Alicia Keys’ rendition went off without a hitch, unlike Christina Aguilera’s notorious line fluffing back in 2011.

She follows in the footsteps of stars including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks in performing the anthem.