On This Devastating Ingrid Andress National Anthem Performance

UPDATE 1:09 pm CDT: Early Tuesday afternoon (7-16), Ingrid Andress gave the following explanation:
“I’m not gonna bulls*** y’all, I was drunk last night. I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition. I’ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun. xo, Ingrid.”
Read the full original story below:
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Once again, country music is embarrassed on a national stage, and specifically through a sports event. If you want to know why there is such a strange nexus between sports writers and the rabid fandom of folks like Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell, this is part of the reason.
Ahead of Monday night’s Major League Baseball Home Run Derby, “country” singer Ingrid Andress was tapped to sing the National Anthem. Though it’s easy to get swept up in recency bias, it’s certainly fair to characterize it as one of the worst National Anthem performances in history. It will also likely be devastating for Ingrid’s career, fair or not.
The first and fair question that needs to be asked is, why was Ingrid Andress given this opportunity in the first place, especially if she can’t even sing the song? Tuesday night’s All-Star game and Monday night’s Home Run Derby are being held in Arlington, Texas. Ingrid Andress is from Michigan, and doesn’t really have anything current she’s promoting. So why her?
Ingrid’s debut single “More Hearts Than Mine” was an auspicious start, and not a bad song at all. It was country pop with good writing and steel guitar in the background, which in 2019, was quite ambitious. It ended up going Double Platinum, and charting at #3 on country radio.
But ever since then, Ingrid has been chasing stardom with progressively worse singles including a collaboration with Sam Hunt, while also being pushed by the industry above her weight class as a performer. Appreciate that the woman you saw performing Monday evening has four Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Now think of all of your favorite independent artists that have zero.
But it’s not fair to characterize Ingrid Andress as a talent-less hack. Her performance was so bad, it almost defies explanation. Something had to be “off.” Some are surmising that she tried to do some cutesy wootsy version of the song, sort of like Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday” to JFK. You hear that in some of the phrasing.
Maybe it was a combination of factors, including just old-fashioned nerves getting the best of her. But this explanation offered up on Reddit by Grammy Award-winning audio engineer Chris “Tek” O’Ryan seems the most plausible.
“I specialize in vocal tuning and have tuned a lot of singers on ‘live’ TV going back 15 yrs or so,” O’Ryan says. “The reason this is so crazy is they have autotune on her but it’s in the wrong key.. so for some of it, she’s hitting the right note but the autotune is trying to pull it to another note. It’s a terrible idea to use autotune live on an acapella because there’s no pitch center to pull her back in key. And autotune shouldn’t be used anyway, when I tune a singer on TV I do it manually with Melodyne.”
Listening back through the performance with that in mind, you can definitely hear how that potentially could be the culprit. As Ingrid struggled to stay in pitch as Autotune was pulling her out of it, this could have made the entire thing a struggle. Why all of this wasn’t tested or debugged beforehand is hard to understand, but that’s the risk you run when relying on technology. A glitch can always send things haywire.
Perhaps even worse for Ingrid Andress, if it indeed was Autotune pushing her out of key, it’s hard for her to admit she was using that technological crutch in the first place, because people will judge her for it, similarly to if she was lip syncing.
Situations like these always get the peanut gallery of opinions going from people who probably couldn’t do much better singing a very difficult song a capella—well in this case, maybe they could. But this situation feels a bit more substantial than just a blown performance that goes viral. The more we rely on technology—whether it’s AI or Autotune—the more we see these embarrassing moments.
The sad truth is that a stellar version of the “Star Spangled Banner” can make a career. This is what happened for Reba McEntire and others. While some have lobbied for the tradition to be phased out, it actually presents a good avenue for exposure, especially for women of country music who rarely have those avenues presented to them via radio and other places.
Unfortunately for Ingrid Andress though, this wasn’t the kind of exposure she was looking for. Monday night exposed the lack of talent you’ve come to expect from major label country stars, when it could have exposed the talent of someone that could have knocked the National Anthem out of the park.
Update: Ingrid’s explanation doesn’t necessarily mean that Autotune or something else wasn’t in play, and her somewhat snarky ending seems to downplay the severity addiction can play in some people’s lives. Hopefully if she is suffering from addiction or alcoholism, she finds the help she needs.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:24 am
It’s pretty clear she is talentless if she can not hear how off key and wretched her singing is. Presumably that performance was practiced ahead of time and that’s the best she could do. This means she can not sing without auto tune and studio magic. Then again, you are a guy who thinks Zach Bryan is good so it doesn’t take much for you to think someone is talented
July 16, 2024 @ 9:29 am
Vern,
You left a comment before it would be physically possible for anyone to read the entire article, and it shows.
I do think Zach Bryan is “good.” I wouldn’t call him a good singer, and have criticized his singing specifically. But Zach Bryan knows he’s not a good singer either. That’s why you don’t see him out there taking National Anthem gigs.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:54 am
Much the way Jimi Hendrix hated his voice, but would sing anyway. Was Jimi a great vocalist? No. Not even a good vocalist. But Jimi made GOOD music. Same with Bob Dylan. Dylan’s sole good vocal performance, so me and this is obviously subjective, has to be Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. But the music is good.
tl;dr: I understand your Zach Bryan praise.
July 17, 2024 @ 7:19 pm
Funny “Trace” is in your handle…..
July 16, 2024 @ 9:27 am
Francis Scott Off Key
July 16, 2024 @ 11:32 am
Perfect representation of country in a nutshell. Low bar pandering pre fab trash.
July 17, 2024 @ 5:34 am
Uh oh
July 16, 2024 @ 9:29 am
Can we please stop taking large dumps on the flag and anthem, shit was embarrassing… Do Better!!
July 16, 2024 @ 9:33 am
I would not go so far as to call her talentless. But something was clearly wrong here. Her voice, autotune aside, has deteriorated rapidly. Vibrato has widened into a wobble and there’s no core support for her breathing (Yes, I am a classically trained singer, so I’m know what I’m talking about).
The main question is why this was allowed to happen? Was there a rehearsal? If so, was there a dramatic difference between the rehearsal and the live event?
I think the important thing to remember is that she probably KNOWS that this was a humiliation and a potential career-ender. So let’s show some grace and some compassion…you know, the Christian thing to do.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:17 am
I agree that this performance was so bad, it really begs some deeper questions about what happened, and I feel bad for Andress because there is no way this went off as planned. I’m reluctant to post about buzzy topics like this, but so many of the stories are just three paragraphs of filler and a video without anyone trying to offer any scrutiny or insight.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:39 am
Wow. I like Ingrid Andress and even I can admit that that was….BAAAAD.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:44 am
I’m really interested to see if it will be devastating to her career. They say all publicity is good publicity but in this case I’m not so sure.
As for her not having anything current to promote, she’s just announced the first single from her next album and a couple of live dates. I’m not sure seeing her sing live is going to be at the top of many people’s lists now.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:47 am
Wow.
Autotune could’ve created the basic struggle, and what a nightmare that would be, but the variation at the end didn’t come from fighting technology.
The best anthems I’ve heard are from ordinary folks, especially young people, who just sing it straight. They identify the highest pitch (on the word “free”) they can sing comfortably and find their key from there. No dragging, no frills. If you want to get fancy, you better be able to deliver it.
The best pro singer of the Anthem in my recent memory was Chris Stapleton.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:12 am
I compare it to people with shitty instruments masking their poor tone or poor vibrato by adding trills and notes because when they hold a note people will know it sounds bad.
A good violinist can make one note sing
A good singer can make a held note soar
That’s why singing it straight is such a challenge but also proves who can really sing
July 17, 2024 @ 5:40 am
Stapleton’s version was stellar indeed!
July 16, 2024 @ 9:48 am
Sounds like she at least got most of the lyrics correct.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:53 am
I feel horrified for her. At least when Roseanne and Fergie butchered the anthem, they were both established stars with a solid fan base. Most people never heard of this woman until this awful performance.
I doubt her career will recover.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:53 am
The Vulture podcast Switched on Pop, which usually focuses on mainstream pop music, has two excellent episodes on the national anthem. Episode #7 takes a look at the origin of the song and the history of its performance by major pop stars. Episode #349 looks at how pop “divas” have taken creative license with the anthem’s lyrics and melody at sporting events, incl. some really wacko performances. Both episodes are free and highly entertaining.
July 16, 2024 @ 6:51 pm
Although she did flub one word, here is Linda Ronstadt doing the National Anthem at Game 3 of the 1977 World Series, one of the better Anthem performances from one of the most influential singers in American music history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0CzKydbNsQ&pp=ygUjbGluZGEgcm9uc3RhZHQgc3RhciBzcGFuZ2xlZCBiYW5uZXI%3D
As for Ingrid Andress’ anthem debacle in Texas, it’s a good thing she admitted to being sloshed, and seeking rehab. One should NEVER do this song in anything but a state of absolute sobriety (IMHO).
July 16, 2024 @ 9:55 am
Andress will have a million views within a few hours, bless her heart.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:58 am
I guess it shows either how out of touch I am or the irrelevance of mainstream country that I have never heard of this person before this article.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:19 am
That’s the thing, isn’t it? The mainstream is becoming so irrelevant, 2nd tier stars fly completely under the radar, and most people couldn’t even pick them out of a lineup.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:15 am
From what I’ve seen it sounds like the sound in that place is absolutely terrible and makes it tough even if there wasn’t autotune involved.
But more to the point, there’s absolutely zero reason why the anthem needs to be performed before the Home Run Derby or any other sporting event.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:56 am
Andrew, I have been to several games there, and heard lots of anthems, including acapella. I can assure you that that sound in that stadium is not a problem.
July 16, 2024 @ 2:53 pm
She has in-ear monitors feeding her, at the very least, her voice and, potentially, tones to match the various notes of the song – which she can then match. The sound of what the audience is hearing would have very, very little impact on what she hears and how she sings.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:27 am
She knew exactly what she was doing.
She purposely sang the National Anthem of the United States of America, with a snotty/sarcastic/whiny attitude.
She will reap what she has sown.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:40 am
Your capacity for stupid comments knows no bounds Di. If you believe that, then you also must believe that the Coca-Cola Sips & Sounds Festival booked The War & Treaty only to expressly attack them by putting a cotton plant in their dressing room.
July 16, 2024 @ 5:39 pm
What an asinine comment.
July 16, 2024 @ 7:06 pm
Isn’t that what War and Treaty claimed themselves??
July 16, 2024 @ 10:27 am
About ten minutes ago, she just posted on X an apology for being drunk and that she’s checked into rehab.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:30 am
She’s lying.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:04 pm
Are you ok? I genuinely mean that. If you want someone to talk to please reply and I’ll post my email address. Life can be tough and sometimes someone showing us some kindness is all we need.
July 17, 2024 @ 7:21 pm
I guess you can read minds…but you have to have one to do that…..
July 16, 2024 @ 10:40 am
I’d never heard of this person until last night after this horrendous performance, this wasn’t autotune gone bad, this was just downright bad, she sounded and acted drunk.
July 16, 2024 @ 10:47 am
Let’s just stop the dumb North Korea wannabe act of singing our national anthem before people play a sports game. The concept of singing the anthem before playing sports is just bizarre.
Also I had not even heard the name Ingrid Andress before this. Hope she gets the help she needs in rehab.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:43 am
Most every country includes National Anthem performances before sporting events. If the United States stopped, they would be the outlier. I understand the opinion of why they’re perfunctory or potentially objectionably overly patriotic. But as I’ve always said, they’re also vehicles for artists who otherwise don’t get national opportunities at exposure to get seen and heard. Sierra Ferrell performed at a NASCAR event a couple of weeks ago, and it earned her quite a few fans.
July 16, 2024 @ 3:07 pm
This is just not true Trigger. National Anthems are played before games like World Cups, as when national teams represents their country. Have you seen team sports in big leagues outside the u.s? Get yr facts straight. Not even in the Champions League do they play NA. Anyway, I don’t really care, but you are wrong on this one.
Keep up the good work. Thanks.
July 17, 2024 @ 2:59 am
“Anyway, I don’t really care, but you are wrong”
Is that you, my wife? If not, you sound just like her!
July 16, 2024 @ 10:48 am
I know it’s easy to shit on the performance right now, but to say this may have been the wake up call to go to rehab as she just posted about, I hope she gets the help she needs. It’s easy to kick someone when their down, but sometimes it’s better to have empathy
July 16, 2024 @ 11:17 am
The story has been updated with Ingrid’s explanation that she was drunk. I’m not sure I 100% believe this explanation, especially when it was delivered with such snark. She may have been on something for sure, but I think multiple factors were involved, and “drunk” and “I’m going to rehab” is the most socially acceptable one. If she is suffering from addiction issues, I do hope she finds the help she needs.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:52 am
Hard to believe she was not on some sort of Benzos, probably a combination of both. Also, this is not the sort of instance that convinces someone to get sober.
July 16, 2024 @ 12:58 pm
I think that answer is a cope. She picked a song far outside of her register. The way she attempted to hit those high notes makes it obvious that she doesn’t even know how to hit those notes – most likely because she just physically can’t. Her own songs are in a very limited register. Good singers still have muscle memory in their vocal chords when drunk or when they can’t hear themselves. She didn’t pull a Hank Jr debacle here. Daryll Singletary would blow every other singer out of the water when he was wasted.
She only suffers from having people around her that won’t give her the honest truth about her singing range and ability.
July 17, 2024 @ 6:16 am
Look at her face in the video, it’s immediately apparent she is out of it. Not sure why you are even trying to discuss anything else. She might not be the best singer, sure, but this was not just bad singing.
July 17, 2024 @ 12:34 pm
Because….she couldn’t sing it sober. She doesn’t have the vocal chops
July 16, 2024 @ 12:18 pm
She’s a talentless hack. Her career and single choices prove it. All vapid material.
She got a record deal because of her looks. Otherwise, she is waiting tables at Denny’s.
Let’s call a spade a spade.
This is what happens when the music industry places premiums value on factors beyond the ability to sing.
July 16, 2024 @ 3:34 pm
There’s that compassion and grace that I talked about. Why aren’t people more empathetic?
July 16, 2024 @ 3:53 pm
Would you be saying this if it were a male singer such as Morgan Wallen or Luke Combs?
July 16, 2024 @ 7:23 pm
Empathy doesn’t mean prentending not to hear what we heard.
July 16, 2024 @ 7:57 pm
Because most people are assholes and believe their lives are without stain.
July 16, 2024 @ 8:21 pm
She isn’t sleeping with you, Tony, because you decided to just for her honor.
I reserve my compassion for those singers who will never receive a fair shot because they aren’t beautiful or fate decides to avoid them.
She had more opportunities than most and decided to disgrace our National Anthem.
Save the grace for our bleeding ears.
July 18, 2024 @ 6:10 pm
I could not agree any more with you, CountryKnight.
Nail. Right on the head.
On top of that her ridiculous drunk excuse holds zero water with me and minimizes the problems people suffering addiction actually go through. She has lost what little credibility (zero) she had with me.
July 16, 2024 @ 12:53 pm
I listened to multiple live performances from her and she can sing…in a very limited register. For whatever reason she thought that she could exceed that register for singing the national anthem. Her attempts to hit those high notes make it clear that she doesn’t even know how, nor has the ability to even come close to those notes. When I listened to parts of her Tiny Desk concert and other performances she does these weird ‘early Taylor Swift type singing cheats’ when she can’t physically hit a higher note.
There are talented performers who have a limited register – anyone from Mick Jagger to Kacey Musgraves. However they know how to stay in their range. Taylor Swift only has a limited range. If you listen to any of her Swift’s early recordings she does not hit high notes at all. Because she couldn’t The later Swift recordings are digitally assisted in the studio and live. Great singers are born, not trained. People can develop singing chops but they can only build so much on what God gave them.
July 16, 2024 @ 12:53 pm
I was about to listen to her National Anthem. But then I didn’t, because, I clicked on and listened to her song “More Hearts Than Mine” – seemed a nice, open-hearted, honest, good details song … and … idk … I totally believe you guys that her Anthem stunk…just wanted Ingrid Andress to leave a happy connotation in my mind. Congrats on “More Hearts Than Mine” Ingrid Andress! btw suggest a few listens to Sierra Ferrell’s Nashville Superspeedway NASCAR Star-Spangled Banner – she sings it very nice, pretty straight, and nails the high note 🙂
July 16, 2024 @ 2:21 pm
I really like your positive attitude. Good on you. There is so much negativity in the the world that we don’t need to look for more.
Thanks for the positive vibes, you made my morning.
July 16, 2024 @ 12:56 pm
This tradition of having non sports related celebrities sing the national anthem is dumb.
I much prefer soccer (football) where the players and audience are the ones singing. No autotune, no whiny drunk B rated celebrities, just the people and players. Done.
July 16, 2024 @ 8:00 pm
Yeah, like all the NHL, NBA, NFL players who sing the anthem before games…oh wait, that never happens. ?
July 17, 2024 @ 7:27 pm
Soccer games, oh, where everyone carrying on with belittling eachothers countries, racist comments and riots? Oh please. Soccer is just as bad as anything else….
July 16, 2024 @ 1:23 pm
Her rendition was worse than Cody Wolfe’s…..let that sink in.
July 16, 2024 @ 1:42 pm
The best thing about this dumpster fire is that it made me go listen to Sierra Ferrell doing it. Wow. Sierra is a helluva lot more than an Americana warbler. 10/10.
July 16, 2024 @ 2:47 pm
My favorite quote: Donald Trump is not alone. All of our ears are bleeding.
July 16, 2024 @ 8:02 pm
What a sad and tasteless comment. It speaks volumes.
July 16, 2024 @ 3:00 pm
What does this have to do with fans of Isbell and the dead Stuuuurg guy?
Not sure if that was autotune or what because I couldn’t listen more than a few seconds. Sounded like demonic possession, if such a thing existed.
July 16, 2024 @ 5:00 pm
Does anybody know where what I’m going to call the breath-singing trend started with female artists? It’s that breathy sound that artists like Andress employ. You couple that with the strange, almost childlike enunciation and it’s just puzzling how that’s the new go-to singing style. Who are they imitating?
“Ladylike” put me off from her music. Obnoxious nonsense. “More Hearts Than Mine” was pretty good, though.
I hope she gets the help she needs.
July 16, 2024 @ 7:28 pm
There were moments in that “rendition” where she did the indie “singing in cursive thing” with her voice. I wish that trend would die. Some female country artists do the country version of this which is a fake twang that is over-enunciated. I won’t name names but it’s painfully obvious and a reason why I can’t listen to their music.
July 16, 2024 @ 5:30 pm
in the 1960’s in U.K. they didn’t play God Save The Queen at a 2nd tier soccer match. But everybody stood up and they did play God Save The Queen at the cinema before the afternoon movie.
July 16, 2024 @ 5:51 pm
“While some have lobbied for the tradition to be phased out, it actually presents a good avenue for exposure, especially for women of country music who rarely have those avenues presented to them via radio and other places.”
You just had to say it again, didn’t you. Oh well, at least I didn’t see Zach Bryan’s name trumpeted in this article.
Seriously, hope she gets whatever help with whatever problem she has. If it is mainly due to lack of talent, maybe a career change is in order.
July 16, 2024 @ 7:03 pm
Awesome. So I’m a jingoist and anti-American at the same time.
July 17, 2024 @ 8:47 am
Trigger,
Ha ha. You are a good sport. Keep up the good work.
July 16, 2024 @ 6:51 pm
If they wanted somebody to get drunk and sing badly, I’m right here! Hook me up with some HR Derby tickets and I’m the guy for the job.
Also, for anyone blaming the stadium, CoJo went out there and sounded fine before tonight’s game.
Let’s just call it like it is. The anthem is hard, and this girl isn’t a very good singer.
July 16, 2024 @ 8:08 pm
“…if it indeed was Autotune pushing her out of key, it’s hard for her to admit she was using that technological crutch in the first place, because people will judge her for it…”
Tim McGraw has been using autotune live for most of his career, and it hasn’t hurt him. ?
The anthem is one of the hardest songs to sing, and although this wasn’t good, I’ve heard worse. No need to pile on the girl for messing it up. She’s human. Lots of dudes screw it up, too.
My favourite anthem singers, although I’m in the category of people who think singing anthems before sports events is silly, are the classically trained men and women who do it all the time.
July 16, 2024 @ 8:44 pm
She might’ve been drunk, I don’t know. But making that claim is the easiest way out of this situation without career damage. It’s still a gamble, but a little bit of money and time and she might come out unscathed.
July 16, 2024 @ 9:52 pm
I just watched the video. I had been avoiding it.
I have to say, that it was NOT NEARLY as bad as what I was bracing for. After all the build-up (or maybe knock-down), I was expecting her to flub the lyrics, skip some, get caught in a loop, and start speaking singing gibberish. She basically sang the words correctly and in order but did not keep the words timed to the melody in the traditional manner. At times, she seemed like she was about to trail off or go somewhere else, but she kept coming back.
Definitely an unorthodox rendition, but not something that merits any complaining or denouncement.
July 17, 2024 @ 6:40 am
Respectfully disagree, and so does Ingrid since she feels the need to go to rehab now to save face.
July 16, 2024 @ 11:12 pm
The performance was awful. However, she admitted she was inebriated and has chosen to enter rehab. I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. (Lots of artists play the rehab card – some as a ploy to cover up, but many who are actually sincere).
I’ll blame her handlers here, not because of her artistry, but for allowing her to perform at all in that condition.( seems to be common handlers letting artists out there drunk).
So before all the holy rollers cast stones, she is someone’s daughter, sister etc and has a serious problem. Perhaps look into yourselves or your own families and find some understanding, let alone compassion for her and hers.
Whether she is a great singer is one thing. The disease of addiction is quite another.
And this is certainly NOT Roseann who deliberately shrieked her way thru it.
Judge not lest we be judged.
July 17, 2024 @ 2:03 pm
Her handlers are at fault? What happened to personal responsibility? She’s an adult woman. She made her own decisions.
Can the whole judge not angle. She messed up. Pointing that out isn’t judging nor it is judging to acknowledge her singing limitations.
July 17, 2024 @ 2:05 pm
Any television producer, manager, road manager, publicist, etc. should ever allow what happened on Monday to happen. Sure, Ingrid is ultimately at fault. But there is plenty of fault to go around in this situation.
July 17, 2024 @ 6:20 pm
Assinine and callous comment aside, yes, it is her handlers responsibility, most certainly – they saw she was impared (and not in a right mind to guage her self as alcoholics sometimes can’t.) And with that it makes her managent team look like a bunch of incompetent idiots for allowing it to happen.
It disgusts me how others judge and laugh at others agony….(but will expect pity when the shoe is on the other foot.).
July 17, 2024 @ 2:54 am
Sadly, based on the number of views, the law requires that this cut appear on any greatest hits collection she issues.
July 17, 2024 @ 3:11 am
You guys should never have got rid of us. God Save The King/Queen is a far easier song to sing!
July 17, 2024 @ 5:29 am
If only y’all didn’t get on the fightin’ side of us. 😉
July 17, 2024 @ 1:17 pm
I know the lyric that goes “God Save The Queen/ She’s not a human being.”
I don’t think that would fly.
July 17, 2024 @ 7:13 pm
Yeah, I dig the Sex Pistols….
July 17, 2024 @ 4:00 am
LOL. That was awesome!
July 17, 2024 @ 4:35 am
…a female country artist is obviously coming apart at the seams on a big stage and the result at scm is this “once again, country music is embarrassed on a national stage…”-blog and rather surreal thread to follow it? one kinda wonders, whether some posters have had any real life experience with women other than mom in their lives.
July 17, 2024 @ 6:11 am
The auto-tune and drinking excuses are both lame. If you can’t sing a song live without auto-tune, and you can’t put the bottle down long enough to represent your country by singing the National Anthem, just decline the invitation.
Hope Andress takes her rehab seriously and comes out the other end a better person. Good luck to her.
July 17, 2024 @ 7:09 am
Two thoughts. First, I think the idea of singing the national anthem before a sporting event is to remind the players and fans that there is something that unites them beyond the rivalry on the field or in the stands.
Second, some years back a well known rock star, now middle age and who lives in the region, sang the national anthem at a local college basketball game. This a very popular team around here but he did a kind of stylised cutesy version of it and people hated it. I attended the next game because the cantor and youth choir from our synagogue were going to sing the anthem. The kids in their little blue vests did great and the crowd was on its feet roaring with approval, saying things like that’s the way you do it and how much better than the rock star.
I learned then that this is an important moment for many people, connected to their values, and more than technical perfection they want the anthem to be taken seriously, perhaps even reverentially. It could be local kids or an opera singer or Reba, but can you convey this is important to you?
July 17, 2024 @ 12:53 pm
Spot on. Most people recognize who’s being real and value it.
With the National Anthem, a singer has to be real about it as a *national* anthem, not as a personal one. Listeners make allowances for a few artistic liberties, but they recognize respect and common feeling when they hear it. Just sing it well and don’t grab all the attention for yourself.
Good men and women gave up all of their tomorrows for what that flag represents.
Honor that, if for no other reason.
July 17, 2024 @ 5:44 pm
I feel so bad for her, I also feel she will never be forgiven, especially for being a woman. That was a mistake, we are so much more than mistakes
July 17, 2024 @ 7:17 pm
Well said. The stone throwing here is appalling. Such hypocrisy and judgement ftom the Bilbe thumpers here (except when they’re drunk in the honky tonk)
July 18, 2024 @ 2:34 am
After listening to the performance a few times now I am sorry but the “I was drunk and I have a problem” seems more of a career saving attempt than an actual problems. Singers sing drunk all the time and never butcher music like this.
Sorry, but her autotune is caught and exposed. There is no way she can sing much better.
No wonder she does duets with Some C*nt… I mean, Sam Hunt.
July 20, 2024 @ 8:08 am
I am starting a rehab facility for out of tune singers. Gonna make a fortune!