Beyonce Talks Super Bowl Half Time Show, Why She Sang To Pre-Recorded Track At Inauguration

After taking the stage at the Super Bowl half time show press conference in New Orleans on Thursday, Beyonce performed the National Anthem – “The Star Spangled Banner” – completely live and a cappella.

The performance was likely meant to silence critics who thought she should have performed the song live at President Barack Obama’s second Inauguration. And, following the rendition of the song in New Orleans, the singer finally addressed why she used a pre-recorded track (which she clarified she sang along to).

“I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra,” Beyonce told reporters on Thursday, as she promoted her upcoming half time show. “It was a live television show and a very, very important, emotional show for me, one of my proudest moments and due to the weather, due to the delay, due to no proper sound check I did not feel comfortable taking a risk.

“It was about the President and the Inauguration and I wanted to make him and my country proud, so I decided to sing along with my pre-recorded track, which is very common in the music industry,” she continued. “And I’m very proud of my performance.”

Asked by one reporter if she’ll be singing to track at the Super Bowl half time show this Sunday, Beyonce said there was no chance.

“I will absolutely be singing live,” she said with a smile. “I am well rehearsed and I will absolutely be singing live. This is what I was born to do, what I was born for.”

Beyonce was also asked if her fellow members of Destiny’s Child might join her on stage during the half time show, but the superstar side-stepped answering the question directly.

“I can’t really give you any details. I’m sorry,” she laughed.

“We just had a new release, the ‘Love Songs’… and we did a new song. It was so exciting to hear us together again, I just kind of dropped on the floor and felt like a little teenager again when I heard us harmonize,” she added. “There’s nothing like our connection and the sisterhood we have so it’s always such a pleasure to be around them, professionally and personally.”

— Jolie Lash