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Could You Tell Beyonce’s Inauguration Rendition of the National Anthem Was Lip-Synced? (Update: Or Was It?)
Editor’s note: The Marine band spokesperson has backed off her early statement that Beyonce did not sing live. See our update at the bottom.
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Beyoncé’s performance of the national anthem during Monday’s presidential inauguration has been hailed by many as being so well done. But was it live? Let’s examine. (But there is — or was — a definitive answer.)
Beyonce singing the national anthem at the inauguration of President Barack Obama Monday, Jan. 21. (Photo: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)
Some began accusing the singer Tuesday of lip-syncing “The Star Spangled Banner.” The Washingtonian reported that “close observers” felt that it appeared she was not singing in the brisk January air. In addition, the Washingtonian says the band seemed to be pretending to play its instruments as well.
“[...] even though band director Colonel Michael J. Colburn was conducting energetically and the band members mimicked blowing into their instruments,” Sophie Gilbert wrote.
In addition, Gilbert wrote on the Washingtonian about how the singer actually posted a picture of herself recording the song in a studio the day before:
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.
(Image: Instagram)
Examining the evidence further, how about Beyoncé removing her earpiece mid-song? Fishy? The earpiece is used so singers are able to hear themselves among other noise from a band or crowd. Perhaps Beyoncé was having no problem hearing herself during the national anthem — a time when many would quietly be listening — or if the star was lip-syncing she wouldn’t need an earpiece to hear herself in the first place.
However TheBlaze’s own choral aficionado Jon Seidl, who is our front page editor but also won some choral accolades back in his high school days, said it sounded like Beyoncé was, in fact, singing live to him. Before making your own judgment, take a look and listen:
So what’s the verdict?
The Times of London received a statement from the Marine Corp Band spokesperson Kristen DuBois who said it was routine to record a track before the actual performance and that Beyoncé decided to use it instead of singing live the day of the ceremony:
“We don’t know why Beyoncé decided to use prerecorded music,” a spokesperson for the Marine Corps Band told us this morning. “All music is prerecorded as a matter of course, and that’s something we’ve done for years and years. The Marine Band did perform live throughout the ceremony but we received last-minute word that Beyoncé wanted to use the recording.”
In an update, the Washingtonian wrote the DuBois went on to say that Beyoncé is a gifted singer and the decision to lip-sync shouldn’t put into question her musical talent.
Beyoncé has not said anything about the lip-sync yet. She was also accused of lip-syncing at the 2009 Oscars.
Still, Beyoncé is being called “fake” by some, which might have been avoided if there was some transparency beforehand. People are more apt to be understanding of certain conditions (like if it was too cold to sing) if they’re told it was lip-synced from the very beginning. TheBlaze found the same was true of nature documentaries when it spoke about the prevalence of faked scenes with a filmmaker last year.
“Sometimes staging does make sense and there is nothing wrong with it,” wildlife filmmaker Chris Palmer told TheBlaze last year. “As long as animals aren’t hurt or harassed…and the staging event isn’t hidden from the viewer, then there is no problem.”
Would you have felt differently about Beyoncé’s performance if you knew she lip-synced it all along? Let us know in the comments.
UPDATE:
The Marine band has now backed off of its previous statement that Beyonce’s performance was not live — consider it changing their tune or doing an about-face. The Associated Press has the new details (emphasis added):
On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine Band told news outlets that Beyonce had lip synced at President Barack Obama’s inauguration. Master Sgt. Kristin duBois said the band was notified at the last minute that Beyonce would use a pre-recorded voice track.
But by late afternoon, the Marine Corps backed off that statement.
Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Gregory Wolf said that because there was no opportunity for Beyonce to rehearse with the Marine Band, it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill advised. Instead they used a pre-recorded track for the band’s portion of the song.
“Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter’s vocal performance,” Wolf’s statement continued, “no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded.”
A representative for Beyonce did not respond to requests for comment.
DuBois declined to answer further questions. Earlier in the day, she told The New York Times that the rest of the inaugural performance was live and they did not know why a recorded track was used for the national anthem.
“It’s not because Beyonce can’t sing. We all know Beyonce can sing. We all know the Marine Band can play,” she said.
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Comments (119)
fdraiden
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:33pmJust another useful idiot!
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Livia
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:12pmFake, just like the rest of this administration.
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desertspeaks
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:17pmmilli vanilli! nuff said
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spirited
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:30pmIf all performers at the event lip-synced –fine.
>It looked like everyone was ‘live’.
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Silversmith
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:45pmPeople used to find this reprehensible. Now it’s just the way we do business. The erosion of our commitment to truth in our endeavors in this country will be it’s undoing.
Silversmith
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Jim S
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:55pm…you mean entertainment isn’t real ?,,it was her voice?..it wasn’t her voice?..it was her voice possibly recorded in what appears to be a recording studio…another Pulitzer Prize winner for the Blaze..after reading the entire article,not sure what happened…and IF they did play a version SHE recorded the day prior..that would mean ?…ah nothing at all,she has a beautiful voice…nice of you to appreciate talent…
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Platonician
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:56pmThis “singer” is seriously overrated anyway. As for being beautiful. I’ve been to Brazil, I’ve seen way more beautiful ladies of the mulatto type than this woman.
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rawmilker
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:57pmDoesn’t surpise me, a fraud singing for a fraud at the circus event in a statist arena….
I’m surprised BahRack did’n have a couple divisions of troops marching by….
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/379195_10152411632710048_887984192_n.jpg
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A_CALL_TO_CONSCIENCE
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:12pmDoesn’t matter. Beyonce actually has a very good voice. I know many singers and song writers don’t these days, but she does.
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Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:13pmJust like everything else in Obama’s reach that’s fake and filled with lies including his last 2009 inaugural speech. What a fraud this man and his minions are:
http://www.isthatbaloney.com/11-broken-promises-lies-from-obamas-first-inaugural-address-in-2009/
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muffythetuffy
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:46pmBLACKS CANNOT REMEMBER LYRICS TO SONGS. EVERY BLACK AT INAUGURATION WOULD HAVE NEEDED A TELEPROMPTER
The only song she could sing would have been the song FREEDOM. You know how it goes, ” Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom …”
TRUTHandFREEDOM
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 6:33pmThe whole DAY was theater! He took the oath on Sunday.
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formidable_foe
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:10pmIt seems like she is singing live to me…. no overwhelming evidence it is lip synced. Beyonce is an excellent singer even though her pop music doesn’t give her a lot of opportunity to show it…. plus she is extremely hot. I was laughing when it seemed like Obama wanted a little more from her than one peck on the cheek… he was still leaning in for another, and she was gone! lol……
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Golden-ear
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:52pmI am no fan of Beyonce and certainly not of Obama, but I am a professional audio engineer. As much as I dislike Obama and the entire inauguration celebration, I have to be fair and say that there is no way what we heard was pre-recorded. It wouldn’t have been distorted as it was. Nor is any vocalist that flawless in their synchronization to a pre-recorded track. A pre-amp in the chain was being over-driven making it difficult for Beyonce to hear herself. That is why she removed her ear-piece.
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Kaoscontrol
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 9:27pmHey, guess what…”Reality” TV shows AREN’T!
• If it was “SOOO” cold, why don’t we see the condensation of her breath?
• Like the Super Bowl halftime, it’s all a big show and trying to mix it live is next to impossible, so you track it before hand and it’s much less of a headache.
• Judge these people by the (lack of) content of their character, not by vocal perfection. Slick packaging is part of what keeps these idiots in power.
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VanceUppercut
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 10:19pmYes, this is all very important.
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Secret Squirrel
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 11:40amWhen Obama swore to uphold the constitution, was that fake too?
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Armyduderetired
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:32pmI saw it on TV. TV don’t lie. What’s in it for America? Does the fact that the runs rifts and rhythm have been changed? Will it stop the overbearing government from working against the constitution? No. Move on sheeple. There’s nothing to see here.
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IOUQuidProQuo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 11:40pmAs I watched Beyonce’ performance I couldn’t help but think that playing Whitney Houston’s rendition would have been MUCH BETTER than B’s version. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1QmeEdFOSc It looked fake the way she held the MIC in front of her mouth all the time.
The whole day just made me sick! The only RAY of SUNSHINE, POTUS BHObama WILL never run again. LESS than 4 years . . . counting down!
What a waste of story space – this is not NEWS just QUID PRO QUO!
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DIR
Posted on January 23, 2013 at 6:55amI couldn’t tell if she was lip sinking or not, but probably because I didn’t watch. I was to busy and far more interested in watching paint dry. I really wasn’t into watching or hearing Beyonce fake a patriotic orgasm.
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tomacz
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:30pmso whats new about fixit in the mix????
didnt see THE EVENT,,put on sousa marches,nonesuch ed 1971 nat’l czech radio philharmonic, symphonic band,rudolf urbanacek,,some nice czech chicks on the woodwinds too,,,man,,those east blockers could belt out some great chops,,,
,da bebyy cakes,,,xharashcho muziki,,sorri rossian
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Misha
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:30pmFake ****. Fake pregnancy. Fake singing. Fake presidency. Seriously – does any of it surprise anymore?
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RightUnite
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:28pmAaccckkkk…. More caterwalling if you ax me.
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BurntHills
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:27pmwe saw the pix of the obama-trashed Natl Mall again, like in 2009. anyone know if they trashed the WWII MEMORIAL again TOO?
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Dumpster Baby
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:24pmSeriously. Who the hell cares?
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naughtycal
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:34pmTell that to Ashley Simpson damn you liberal doucheholes will justify anything so longs as another liberal douchehole does it.
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Sigurd_the_Crusader
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:07pmSheesh, NAUGHTYCAL, way to fly off the handle, the author asked for opinions.
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Supah_Patriot
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:23pmNEWSFLASH: Pop singers lip-sync.
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TheEDGE
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:22pmHey! That’s the same **** style that Brooke Shields and Cindy Crawford were sporting back in the 80′s and 90′s. How ethnic of Beyonce!!
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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:22pmSo that means Gov. Christie would have been way better at singing for the President? Maybe a warm up, “You light up my life”?
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naughtycal
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:31pmHer superbowl performance is already availble at i-tunes. What ajoke the entertainment world has become…….image image image and as little truth as necessary.
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Really2012
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:16pmEverything about this Presidency is FAKE
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CathyvanDyke
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:33pmThe issue is “deception”.
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rawmilker
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:04pmBig Top Barry….
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/379195_10152411632710048_887984192_n.jpg
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jmerr
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:14pmLooks like she is a very talented lip sync-er, if she was really talented she would ave sung it live.
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shorelineliz
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:14pmI like how the short haired military chick is eyeing Beyonce like a piece of meat. The bubble should read, “Come on girl. Let’s wrap this stupid song up so we can sit close together in a booth at TGIF and eat a bunch of spicy wings!”
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Gonzo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:12pmManti Teo’s imaginary girlfriend would have never faked singing the National Anthem.
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4xeverything
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:25pmHahahaha
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Tri-ox
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:10pmOf course she faked it – Beyoncé is a mediocre singer at best – without studio enhancement, she stinks.
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KOCHLEFFEL
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:03pmTRI-OX , it was sung by Moms Mabley.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:08pmHow about they quit all the damn warbling, sing the notes the way they were written, and do it right. Everybody has to be a Whitney Houston, who, in my opinion, started all this warbling crap. She wasn’t that good. She ruined Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
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Gonzo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:33pmLike the Zack Brown band did before the Falcons/ 49ers game?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q8xB_bYggY
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:03pmNaw, that was actually good harmony. The song, quick and to the point, no eeee-iiiiiii’s or oooooooo-whoa-oooooooo’s.
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SREGN
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 3:07pmAnon- I wholeheartedly agree. It’s like they are unable to hold a strong true note so they do that warbeling thing. I don’t like it. Please make them stop.
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Gonzo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:49pmI put it there as an example of a well done version Anon.
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DaveIn84
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:08pmWhy not? Everything else in the administration is a farce.
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Kisses6350
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:01pmWhy is this news? And if she did lip synch it, so what? She sang it! ***SMirks***
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13th Imam
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:08pmDEMOCRATS falsify everything. Anything goes for the party of Marxists.
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jwright.80
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:57pmclassic…. fake president, fake performance, real bad times ahead.
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gyro
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 4:10pmthis
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pap pap
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:51pmShould have been live but then again we have a fake president. I hate it when the singer sings …land
eeee
of the free going up there ruins it for me no matter how else they sang the song but that’s just me. I sang the anthem for sports events before.
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blanco5
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:49pmThe voice is real. The weave is fake.
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Gonzo
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:59pmSo are the nose and bazongas. Other than that…she’s the real deal!
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IndyGuy
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:48pm“”Was That Amazing Beyonce National Anthem Everyone’s Raving About Actually a Lip Sync?”"….Uhhhh…I’m guessin’ it was since it’s hard to sing when your lips are firmly planted on Obama’s toosh…
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naughtycal
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:57pmI wonder how many actual networks will report this after blowing Beyonce all yesterday.
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MrButcher
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:47pmWho cares?
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CathyvanDyke
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 7:01pmMrButcher
Again … the issue is deception. If you went to a live concert and … later it was revealed that the entertainers were deceptively lip syncing … I believe you would come to the conclusion you had been taken.
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FlagWavingPatriot
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:45pmWhat better way to celebrate a fake man than with a fake performance?
Let me show you my shocked face. °O°
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naughtycal
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:55pmBeyouce deception is right on par with the Obama adminstration. You’re right I would exept no less than a fake performance at an event for a fake American.
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CatB
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 2:01pmAll smoke and mirrors .. while taking the freedoms from the sheeple.
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moretea
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 5:49pmI wonder if she faked it when she performed for Sudam Hussein’s sons holiday party a couple years back. She supposedly gave the $2M she earned from that gig to the earthquake victims in Haiti, dont know if she or Mariah Carey (who was guilty of the same traitorous act) ever did though.
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booger71
Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:41pmBarry-O, the lip-sync president.
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