Reba McEntire has debunked a viral social media claim involving her and Taylor Swift.
This week, a post from a Facebook page named America Loves Liberty falsely claimed that the country music legend, 68, criticized Swift, 34, for her behavior during McEntire's rendition of The National Anthem at the 2024 Super Bowl.
The misleading post read: "Reba McIntire [sic] was visibly upset to see, upon glancing at the big screen during her performance, Taylor Swift laughing, drinking, and disrespecting the ceremony," and falsely alleged McEntire said, "I confronted her afterwards. She acts like a spoiled brat."
Countering this, McEntire posted a screenshot of the misleading post on Instagram, clarifying she never made such remarks. Her caption stated, "Please, don’t take everything you read online at face value. Those were not my words."
She continued to praise Swift, saying, "Taylor is an exceptional talent, an influential role model, and has significantly contributed to the welfare of many people and the music industry overall."
At Super Bowl LVIII, McEntire delivered a rendition of the national anthem, with Swift in attendance to support her partner, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs clinched a victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a score of 25-22 in the game held at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada on February 11.
McEntire was among the performers who graced the event's opening, alongside Post Malone, who presented "America the Beautiful," and Andra Day, who performed "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
Usher added to the excitement with a halftime performance that brought the vibrancy of Vegas, unexpected guests, and a compilation of his well-known songs.
Since Swift's emergence in the music world nearly twenty years ago, McEntire has been an ardent admirer.
In a December 2023 conversation on NBC's TikTok, McEntire reflected on recognizing Swift's destined stardom during a performance of "Tim McGraw," a track from Swift's initial album, which she performed directly to the country legend himself.
"[Taylor] proceeded down the steps directly towards Tim McGraw while singing, and right then, I thought, 'This girl is bound for greatness,'" recounted McEntire. "Firstly, to walk and sing, descending stairs towards the very icon you aim to impress, flawlessly. Truly, I was in awe."
In October 2023, McEntire playfully expressed her faux frustration to TODAY.com regarding Swift's romance with Kelce, 34, revealing her own playful interest in the NFL player.
“I'm actually quite miffed with her because I fancied him,” McEntire disclosed, continuing, "Now, my crush is off-limits since he’s with her. It absolutely crushed me."
