This afternoon, at a pre-Super Bowl press conference, Beyoncé admitted she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" along with a backing track at this month's presidential inauguration. She did so after opening with an a cappella rendition of the anthem, showing critics what she could do before telling them, followed by a winking "Any questions?" and a laugh.
After singing, here's what she had to say about the controversy:
I am a perfectionist. One thing about me—I practice until my feet bleed; and I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra. It was a live television show and a very, very, very emotional show for me, one of my proudest moments; and due to the weather, due to the delay, due to no proper soundcheck, I did not feel comfortable taking a 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'm very proud of my performance.
Later, she continued:
I will absolutely be singing live [on Sunday]. I am well-rehearsed and I will be singing live. This is what I was born to do.
Watch Beyoncé and her team prep for Sunday's show below, then revisit some of her best TV performances.
