Beyoncé's show-stopping performance of the US national anthem at President Barack Obama's Inauguration yesterday has caused a stir online amid claims the star lip-synced to a prerecorded backing track.
The 31-year-old, who is normally known for singing live at her concerts, was widely reported as having mimed 'The Star-Spangled Banner'.
"We don't know why Beyoncé decided to use prerecorded music," a rep for the Marine Corps Band told the Washingtonian.
"All music [for inaugural ceremonies] is prerecorded as a matter of course, and that's something we've done for years and years."
According to the rep, the band "received last-minute word that Beyoncé wanted to use the recording".
Hang on a second, didn't she pull out her earpiece mid-performance? Was it just an expert piece of acting?
Well, a non-broadcast recording of the performance has made its way onto YouTube, and pretty much proves that Bey was indeed singing.
Recorded by a cameraman who wasn't using the official microphone feed, the audio of Bey's voice is undeniably live and real, even with a backing track. The cameraman claims the echo was just from the speaker. Check out the video below:
However, the Marine Corps Band pretended to play their instruments, the band's director Colonel Michael J Colburn has since admitted.
"She wasn't comfortable performing without a rehearsal, and I wasn't comfortable with that either," Colburn told the Washingtonian. "We always knew that was a possibility."
There has been no indication that the show's other performers, including Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor, lip-synced their songs, but every singer had a "safety track" just in case.
Beyoncé didn't stay to celebrate the Inauguration, heading straight to New Orleans with husband Jay-Z to rehearse for her upcoming SuperBowl performance on February 3. Wonder if that'll be live or lip-synched?
While the pair were spotted happily enjoying dinner in New Orleans, the day after was another story. Right after the lip-syncing hoo-ha broke, Beyoncé was seen "surrounded by huge security guards" with her head down, and "did not look happy", a witness told the New York Post.
Did Beyoncé sing live? Share your thoughts below.
Watch: Most obvious lip-syncing fails
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