Jennifer Hudson emotional singing with Sandy Hook choir

Jennifer Hudson choked back tears as she rehearsed for the Super Bowl with the choir from the Connecticut school at the center of December's (12) massacre because she couldn't bear to imagine the horror they endured during the sickening killing spree.

The Dreamgirls star became emotional when she first met the kids from Sandy Hook Elementary ahead of last weekend's (03Feb13) powerful performance and she admits she struggled with the initial run-through of America the Beautiful.

She says, "They were so sweet... It was an emotional rollercoaster for me. Like, I'm obviously excited to be part of such a huge, major event, but then to have to sing for something so emotional... and then to meet the kids...

"I went into the room to meet the children (for the first time) and we're supposed to rehearse the song and I can't even get through the song. They're looking up at me and to think that they were put in that position..."

Jennifer Hudson performed the patriotic anthem with the school choir before the Super Bowl kick-off in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Twenty young children and six adults were killed when a gunman opened fire at the Newtown school before turning his weapon on himself.