Country singer Ingrid Andress’ unfortunate rendition of the American national anthem adds to the long list of good artists’ bad nights'
Singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress has been nominated four times for a Grammy. Like many country artists, she is particularly popular in the U.S. But a performance this week at the MLB (Major League Baseball) Home Run Derby has made her famous around the world, and not in a good way. Her rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner — a key moment for any American artist — was entirely out of tune and was met with boos from the stadium and criticism on social media. Andress apologized on Instagram, confessed she was drunk and announced she is going to check in to rehab. If it’s any consolation to Andress, she’s not the first and won’t be the last music star whose vocal talent has been put to the test when singing the national anthem. More often than not, they have been given a second chance.
The Andress bungle brings to mind the moment Fergie sang the anthem prior to an NBA game in 2018. The lead singer of The Black Eyed Peas missed the notes and the cameras panned to several of the sniggering players. “I am a risk taker artistically but clearly this performance didn’t strike the intended tone,” the singer said in a statement. Six years on, YouTube users are remarking that, compared to Andress, Fergie’s rendition really wasn’t so bad. “I’m here after listening to the national anthem at the 2024 Home Run Derby and Fergie now sounds like an angel,” wrote one user.