Beyonce Lip-Synced the National Anthem – Kelly Clarkson Sang Live (DISCUSS) (UPDATED)

By On 01/22/2013 · 216 Comments · In American Idol, Kelly Clarkson

Share on TumblrShare via email


photo: @kelly_clarkson

UPDATED: Earlier, a spokesperson from the Marine Band confirmed that Beyonce lipsynced. Now, the director of the Marine Band, Col. Michael J. Colburn will only confirm that the band fake-played to a pre-recorded backing track, but says he does not know for sure whether Beyonce was lip-syncing or singing live (corrected):

As for B, he noted that “it looked and sounded like she was singing her heart out” from where he was standing by the band, but he really didn’t know whether she was actually singing over the track playing, adding that only the sound person and Beyoncé herself would know that.

Hm. I wonder who got to the peeps at the Marine Band? Beyonce’s reps have yet to comment. Which, I think, pretty much confirms that she did, indeed, lipsync. Via EOnline

***

So it turns out that Beyonce lip synced her version of the National Anthem at yesterday’s presidential inauguration ceremony in Washington DC.

This explains why, while I found the R&B singer’s rendition of the Star Spangled Banner very very nice and perfectly adequate,  Kelly Clarkson’s “My Country “Tis of Thee” felt so much more immediate to me.

You see, Kelly sang LIVE, as she did when she performed a flawless National Anthem at the Superbowl last year.

Yes, I’ll say it again. Queen Bey’s NA was a a letdown for me, by comparison.

In Beyonce’s defense, singing live in front of millions of people is a pretty scary proposition.  According to reports, she rehearsed with the Marine Band the night before, and decided at the last minute to lip sync to a backing track.   Better safe than sorry.  The slightest error singing the beloved anthem at a big event can cause bad press for days.

All the more reason to admire the singers who choose to sing it live.  By the way, Carrie Underwood sang her Super Bowl NA live and a’capella a few seasons ago.

Via TMZ, The Daily Beast

Tagged with:
 
← Older Comments
  • Montavilla

    I buy cds to hear someone’s recorded take on a song, I go to a concert to see if they can really sing.  I don’t care if someone isn’t perfect when I see them live, they can mess up bad and the banter when they do is often the highlight of the night.  Perfection is way, way over rated.  I like seeing humans being human, and if, doing some live, they nail it then I overly giddy with admiration.  Do I expect them to do it every time, hell no.

    You just reminded me of the time I saw Lily Tomlin do her one-woman show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.  At the very climax of the show, she (or the techies) missed an important cue.  She stopped the show, told the audience that she didn’t want us to miss the moment, then explained what was supposed to happen, while demonstrating it.  It was utterly charming and much more memorable than it would have been if the moment had gone perfectly.

  • Montavilla

    I buy cds to hear someone’s recorded take on a song, I go to a concert to see if they can really sing.  I don’t care if someone isn’t perfect when I see them live, they can mess up bad and the banter when they do is often the highlight of the night.  Perfection is way, way over rated.  I like seeing humans being human, and if, doing some live, they nail it then I overly giddy with admiration.  Do I expect them to do it every time, hell no.

    You just reminded me of the time I saw Lily Tomlin do her one-woman show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.  At the very climax of the show, she (or the techies) missed an important cue.  She stopped the show, told the audience that she didn’t want us to miss the moment, then explained what was supposed to happen, while demonstrating it.  It was utterly charming and much more memorable than it would have been if the moment had gone perfectly.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/PVEFG2TOUIXSROKUSO2O2DOWWE Taylor

    No one said they are the King and Queen of super stardom. Where did you get that from? Beyonce is a superstar, though. She is well known throughout the world.

    No one said she walked on water or that she was going to change the face of music, either. The only person making these ridiculous claims and statements is you.

    Even if Beyonce wouldn’t make your Top 25, she would make that list with many others, including many in the media and the music industry.

  • tucker davis

    “Beyonce is a pop star who has been dating or married to the same man for years and recently had her first baby with him. She isn’t getting DUIs, taking trips to rehab, beating her spouse, running around with other men, or threatening to kill fellow artists. She is a beautiful and classy woman, who is considered by those who would know to be extremely hard-working and dedicated to her music and fans.”

    I DO think she deserves praise for this…and agree there are a lot worse ‘role models’ in show business. She would garner even more respect by saying, “Hey, kudos to Kelly & James, but I just didn’t want to risk a mistake on such an important occasion.” Case closed.

  • revcat

     I don’t consider either President Obama or Beyonce a fake. If you didn’t get what you wanted in 2012 try again in 2016, but for the next four years he is our duly elected president. At least he spared us a rendition of Cat Scratch Fever by RW supporter Ted Nugent. I’ll take Beyonce any day, lip syncing or not :)

  • DragonFly

    “If she wasn’t up to the task she should have declined and someone else should have taken her spot.”

    Pretty much says it for me.  If she made people marvel at such a “perfect”, assumed-live performance, people were fooled if all comes out to be true.  It was an honor for her to be asked to sing & an honor for that band to be “allowed” to play.

  • durbesque

    Nobody bought a ticket to Bey’s performance of the NA.  It was free.  She owed nobody anything.  She could do whatever she wanted.  Her perfect rendition was a pleasure to hear. 

  • Maya100

    Aretha didn’t do it at the inauguration.  

    There may be a reason.  It would be nice if she just said something.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PSHFTD4YV3QOE3INABJUXZSWMU hillstreetblooz

     *thumbs up*

  • bridgette12

    If she thinks she’s in the right, why would she need to say anything. She’s preparing for the Superbowl, she probably don’t have time to worry about a performance that’s in the past. I’m more interesting in whether she and the rest of Destiny Child is going to debut a new song during the half time show.  

  • fuzzywuzzy

    An official from the inauguration committee has confirmed to CNN that Beyonce lip synced:

    An inaugural official confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that Beyonce lip-synced the National Anthem during Monday’s Inauguration Day ceremony.”She did not sing live,” the official, who asked to remain anonymous, told CNN, adding that the singer made the decision herself to go with a pre-recording the night before Monday’s ceremony.”Because she didn’t have time to rehearse with the Marine Band, she decided to use her recording with the Marine Band,” the official added. “It was all Beyonce.”

    http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/beyonce-lip-synced-inauguration-official-414994

  • http://twitter.com/KariannHart Kariann Hart

    I don’t consider Beyomce a fake; however, a simple statement from her management would have put this issue to rest.  No comments lean towards the premise that she didn’t sing live.  Too bad no one thought to do this.

  • http://twitter.com/Marriott66 Marie Abbott

    Is Beyonce trying to say that she’s beneath Kelly Clarkson when it comes to talent and singing skills? Because Kelly was able to belt out her song LIVE! 

  • Maya100

    “She owed nobody anything.  She could do whatever she wanted.  Her perfect rendition was a pleasure to hear.” 

    But, if you lip-sync and pretend it’s live, that’s a fake-out.  You’re making people believe you did something you didn’t.  It skews the field in the future – people say, “Well, Beyonce sang it perfectly, what’s wrong with so and so?”   She gets false praise she didn’t really earn, since a live performance isn’t just about singing – it’s about dealing with the circumstances.  She didn’t do that but tried to pretend she did.

    The lip-syncing isn’t the issue for me.  It’s that she tried to pretend she didn’t and then take credit for something she didn’t do.

  • DaisyMagnolia

    There’s a professional musician on Slate’s website who’s calling foul on Beyonce’s supposed lip-synching.  I didn’t link the article because I don’t know if Slate is on MJ’s Do Not Link list, but here’s a quote:

    It’s bunk. That lady was singing live. She sang to a prerecorded track—a canned band—and perhaps there was a guide vocal in her earpiece, audible only to her, but that was absolutely a genuine performance.

  • fuzzywuzzy

    “But, if you lip-sync and pretend it’s live, you’re making people believe you did something you didn’t.  It skews the field in the future – people say, “Well, Beyonce sang it perfectly, what’s wrong with so and so?”   She gets false praise she didn’t really earn, since a live performance isn’t just about singing – it’s about dealing with the circumstances. The lip-syncing isn’t the issue for me.  It’s that she didn’t sing but tried to pretend she did.”

    Exactly.

← Older Comments