Ingrid Andress Joins the Unfortunate Canon of Worst National Anthem Performances

Ingrid Andress Joins the Unfortunate Canon of Worst National Anthem Performances

EDIT: In the wake of the widespread negative publicity surrounding this performance of the national anthem, Andress addressed fans online, saying that she was intoxicated during the performance and would be checking into rehab. We wish her the best in her recovery from substance abuse.

Anyone can have a bad night, and it’s safe to say that country music star Ingrid Andress ended up having quite a bad night at the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby, where she was tasked with performing the national anthem. “The Star Spangled Banner” is a notoriously difficult song that has humbled lord only knows how many singers in a live setting, but it’s still rare that we get any anthem entry that is able to instantly join the pantheon of legendarily janky live performances of the song. Last night’s version? It’s already been nestled into a place of honor in the hall of shame, alongside the likes of Roseanne Barr and Carl Lewis.

Unlike some of the other famously bad anthem performances, like Fergie’s rendition at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, this one doesn’t really stand out for being a conceptual overworking of the familiar song. Where Fergie’s version has been recalculated for vocal grandstanding and showboating, Andress simply seems to get off on the wrong foot somehow and then never manages to regain that footing. The video above is peppered with missed notes and strange choices, especially in its more soaring moments. For the first few seconds, it initially feels like things might be okay, but by the time you’re hitting “the rockets red glare” and especially “the land of the free,” it’s clear you’re listening to a slow motion train wreck. Worse is seeing Andress’ expression: Judging by the consternation on her face, it seems likely she knows exactly how badly this is going. I can only imagine what those players were thinking as they stood perched on star-shaped platforms, listening to this performance.

It should go without saying that Ingrid Andress obviously is perfectly capable of singing, look no further than songs like her breakthrough single “More Hearts Than Mine” from 2019. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2021 Grammy Awards, and was likewise a nominee in 2023 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance, with four Grammy nominations overall. This is a person with undeniable talent. But regardless, you have to imagine that this national anthem is going to be an albatross around her neck for a while. Maybe someday we’ll hear the full story from her own perspective on just what went so wrong.

 
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