January 22, 2013 17:15

Beyoncé lip-synched national anthem at Obama inauguration

Singer reportedly decided at the last minute not to sing live

Photo Gallery: Beyonce
Photo: Pa Photos

Beyonce did not sing the US national anthem live at President Obama's inauguration yesterday (January 21), according to reports. Watch her performance at the ceremony below.

A spokeswoman for the Marine Corp Band, which accompanied the singer as she sang the US national anthem on the steps of the Capitol building in front of the Obamas and an estimated 800,000 people, told The Times that Beyonce decided shortly before her performance to use a pre-recorded track.

The spokeswoman said that it was standard procedure to record a backing track and that Beyoncé decided at the last minute to use it rather than risk singing live.

"We did pre-record it and it was Beyoncé’s decision at the last minute to go with the pre-recorded version," she told the newspaper. "We pre-recorded all music as a matter of course and have done since time immemorial," she said. "This is our 54th inauguration… There is no question of there not being any music – it's not because the performer cannot do it."

Before Beyonce's appearance Kelly Clarkson sang 'My Country Tis of Thee' and James Taylor played 'America The Beautiful', accompanied by acoustic guitar.

The previous day (January 20), rapper Lupe Fiasco was removed from the stage for making anti-Obama comments during a performance for the US Presidential inauguration celebrations.

Fiasco told told the audience at Hamilton Live in US capital Washington D.C. that he did not vote for Barack Obama in the November 2012 election, and proceeded to perform a half-hour anti-war song. When he refused to move on to the next song, a team of security guards came on stage and told him to go.

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