Beyonce admits she lip-synched anthem
Beyonce performs the national anthem during Barack Obama’s inauguration. (Reuters: Jim Bourg)
American singer Beyonce has admitted she sang along to a pre-recorded track at US president Barack Obama’s inauguration last month.
Her performance of the Star-Spangled Banner in Washington was well-received by critics, but sparked a national debate about whether she lip-synched.
Listen to the story (Brendan Trembath)
Beyonce says she was born to perform live but did not have time to rehearse with the band beforehand.
“I am a perfectionist and one thing about me is that I practice until my feet bleed and I did not have time to rehearse with orchestra,” the Grammy-winning artist told reporters.
“It was a live television show and a very, very important emotional show for me and one of my proudest moments, and due to the weather, to the delay, due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking the risk.
“It was about the president and the inauguration and I wanted to make him and my country proud, so I decided to sing along with my pre-recorded track, which is very common in the music industry, and I am very proud of my performance.”
Beyonce surprised reporters by asking them to rise at the start of her news conference and launching into a solo version of the US national anthem.
After the applause in the room died down, she asked the hundreds of media representatives: “Any questions?”
She said would be singing live at the half-time show of the Superbowl on Sunday (local time).
The National Football League also said Jennifer Hudson would perform America The Beautiful, with the chorus from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and six adults were killed in a mass shooting in December.
Alicia Keys will sing the national anthem before the game’s kickoff, while other artists including OneRepublic and Matchbox 20 will be part of the televised pre-game show.
ABC/Reuters