As is known, the national anthem of the United States of America is one of the most difficult in the world. “The Star-Spangled Banner,” as the national anthem is officially called, has a considerably wide range: an octave and a half, folks. So take a deep breath.
At major sporting events in the US – be it the Super Bowl, the Indy 500 or the Cup Final – it is tradition for someone from the country’s well-resourced squad of highly talented singers to perform the national anthem. Here are ten of the most memorable performances.
Whitney Houston, 1991
Ladies and gentlemen: the gold standard. Whitney’s 1991 Super Bowl debut set a standard that all subsequent artists tried to reach (usually with emphasis on “tried”). Her rendition of the national anthem, delivered honestly, with just a subtle hint of showbiz drama and soul diva melisma, defied all expectations.
Christina Aguilera, 2011
The problem with Whitney Houston’s performance is that since then a number of successors have tried to surpass her. There is no doubt that Ms. Aguilera is a great singer. But make sure you stick to the melody at least a little, Xtina, okay? Yes, and knowing the lyrics would be important too.
Which brings us to this guy:
Michael Bolton, 2003
Wow. You can’t even do the lines with Spick, Michael! No wonder fans reacted so angrily to this “Red Sox vs Yankees” game.
Fergie, 2018
Fergie probably wanted to hit Whitney. And yes, her performance at the NBA All-Star Game in February 2018 also went viral. Just not for the reason she had hoped. The gist of the comments was: this was an attack on our nation.
Chaka Khan, 2020
“Hold my beer, Fergie!”
Taste Taste, 2023
He, Public Enemy’s lovable Flavor Flav, has a lot of guts, you have to give him that, as he tries to belt out “The Star-Spangled Banner” Sinatra-style without any irony. Can he do it too? Not really. But full marks for his efforts.
Alicia Keys, 2012
Okay, there’s nothing bad about Alicia’s performance… except that it drags a lot. 2 minutes and 36 seconds long to be exact. But it could also be 20 minutes, so long-winded.
Steven Tyler, 2001
What does he, the Aerosmith frontman, want at the Indy 500? Does he want to play Bluesman there, with his harmonica part in the beginning? Or would you rather have one on hard rock tubes? Or is he even Christina Aguilera’s father? He does not know. Nobody knows.
Carl Lewis, 1993
Carl Lewis is certainly an athletics legend. But no singer. Would you like an example? Please.
Roseanne Barr, 1990
Admittedly, Roseanne was not known as a singer but as a comedian. But everyone laughed at this performance. Look, the clip. If you’re strong enough.
Bonus:
Real sporting event, not quite real Kazakh film journalist.
Music
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
