April 22, 2009 22:56

Beyonce says 'Today' show recording was altered

Singer denies the screeching voice is authentic

Photo Gallery: Beyonce

Beyonce has denied that a recording taken from the ‘Today’ show is authentic, and says claims that she can't sing are “completely ridiculous”.

Radio jock Howard Stern played the recording yesterday, in which it appeared that Beyonce was drastically off-key during her rendition of ‘If I Were A Boy’.

Today she told MTV that the story "sounds completely ridiculous" and said "Everyone's heard me sing and it's perfect timing, actually, because I'll be on the ’Today’ show tomorrow singing 'Halo', or tonight you can watch me sing live on David Letterman! It's perfect promotion, whoever came up with that idea."

Her father Mathew Knowles also denied the recording was real, saying in a statement:

"If no one took the time to look at the biggest Inauguration in the history of America then shame on them. If no one took the time to listen to Beyonce sing 'America the Beautiful' and 'At Last' at the Neighborhood Ball for the first dance of President Obama and the First Lady, and they question Beyonce's vocal ability, they've gotta be an idiot. At 12 years into her career, the last thing someone should be questioning is her vocal ability. That would be like questioning if Kobe Bryant could shoot a jump shot."

The tape was apparently fabricated and then “leaked”, according to reports this evening.

--By our New York staff.
[url="/about"]Find out more about NME.[/url]