In the most earth-shattering piece of news since that of her own pregnancy, it has been confirmed that Beyoncé — as in, Beyoncé — LIP-SYNCED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM at the Inauguration. Oh my god how could you?
According to Nico Hines, writing for the Times of London:
A spokeswoman for the Marine Corp Band said it was standard procedure to record a backing track and Beyoncé decided shortly before her performance to rely on the studio version.
Okay, wait. The music was pre-recorded? Or her vocals were pre-recorded?
Both, reports Sophie Gilbert for the Washingtonian.
To press seated just below the podium, in front of the "President's Own" Marine Corps Band, it was evident that the band wasn't actually playing during the song-even though band director Colonel Michael J. Colburn was conducting energetically and the band members mimicked blowing into their instruments.
And:
On January 20, the day before the ceremony, Beyoncé posted pictures to her Instagram account that appeared to show her in a recording studio. In one, she holds a copy of the sheet music to "The Star Spangled Banner" in front of a microphone attached to a recording device, and in another she sits in front of recording equipment while members of the Marine Corps Band stand clutching sheet music behind her.
Many so-called "live" performances are, in fact, not live: Most of the folks at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade lip-sync; Madonna lip-syned through her Super Bowl Halftime performance last year; and Britney Spears was known to lip-sync during her tours. You might be forgiving of an artist who is expected to dance, change clothes and sing live without losing his or her breath; you might argue that considering all of the variables — weather, schedule, band members — it would be best, in front of millions, to play it safe.
But the truth is this: It feels like a lie. When luminaries have gathered together in the flesh for an epic, historic event — the inauguration as the first black President serves a second term and swears on a bible — you expect truth. You want it to be genuine, exacting and pure. Lip-syncing is false. Miming. Pretending. Faking the funk. If your voice wobbles, if you're off-key, at least it's a real, true moment. Isn't that what we deserve?
ADDENDUM/UPDATE:
A tipster sends this video and writes:
PROOF BEYONCE SANG LIVE
Alot of folks claim she sang over a pre-recorded track. In this video, unlike CNN, ABC, Etc, this recording isn't using the official mic-feed. The camera man was using his own mic, and he/she were so close that he could hear the mic feed over the speakers, AND Beyoncé's actual voice. That echo is the feedback, which is why she took her ear piece out
yes there's a back up track, but she is singing full out. Don't believe the Beytheists.
Exclusive: Beyoncé lip-synched Star Spangled Banner at inauguration [Times of London]
Confirmed: Beyoncé Lip-Synced the Star-Spangled Banner [After Hours/Washingtonian]