Renditions of the US National Anthem (the good, the bad and the ugly)
Performances of the US national anthem are regular events in the global calendar, whether we’re talking about sports opening ceremonies or presidential inaugurations.
Many singers absolutely smash it, to the point where they become defined by it. Others...not so much. And unfortunately, some become international laughing stocks.
Let’s dive into some of the most memorable renditions of recent decades...
The modern classic: Whitney Houston, Superbowl, 1991
Whitney Houston set the standard for the US national anthem. Not only vocally, but politically too. At this time, the Gulf War was ten days old, and for the first time, the Superbowl was broadcast in most countries around the world.
Whitney is rightly considered one of the most iconic pop divas of all time. And this performance helped to cement that deserved reputation. Here’s what she did right:
To begin with, she’s clearly dressed for the occasion. It is a sports event after all! Why not turn up in a humble track suit and sweat band? At least it’s authentic!
She doesn’t hesitate. She opens her mouth and her voice flows out, with perfect pitch and ringing resonance.
She is clearly happy to be there, and she seems to understand that this performance is bigger than her. So, she stands politely and does her job.
Get this word in your head: DYNAMIC! Hear how she softens in the mid-section, bringing in some cheeky adlibs, and a stunning ‘thin voice’ sound. Then she absolutely lets us have it towards the end, giving us a glimpse of her signature ‘gospel jaw’
TL:DR: Humble, joyful, dynamic.
The gritty guitar version: Chris Stapleton, Superbowl, 2023
Chris Stapleton layers on his gorgeous thick vocals for a truly authentic version. And there was not a dry eye in the house!
Usually the domain of ‘torch divas’, Chris brought it all back home, representing the rough and ready everyday man of America. Here’s what he did right:
We could easily be in any backwoods bar, gathered round a small stage, instead of plonked in the middle of a huge football pitch. THAT is the power of Chris’s charisma.
Chris keeps to the melody for the most part, allowing the guitar to speak in between phrases. This is why that cheeky vocal run pops so much in the mid-section. Chris is telling you that he could blast us all away, but he’s choosing not to.
And then...that soaring vocal run towards the end gives us all the satisfaction we were waiting for! C’moooon Chris!
Chris marches throughout the performance to his own tempo, moving as the music moves him. This is a great asset to singers who accompany themselves, so use it to your fullest advantage!
TL:DR: Authentic, tasteful, expressive.
The overly styled and misjudged attempt: Fergie, NBA All-Stars, 2018
Following this unfortunate performance, Fergie become the laughingstock of her country. I’ll let the YouTube comments do the talking on this one. But let’s go gentle. Why was this such a mishap? Here’s what she did wrong:
The singer is never bigger than the song. So, when a singer serves their own ego instead of the song, it’s not a good look – especially when you’re representing your country!
Her hammed-up stylistics cause her to go immediately out of tune. And instead of nailing efficient vocal technique, she seems to be trying out every movement to see what works. Genuine question: is she drunk?
The staccato phrasing is distracting ad unnecessary. If a song is as classic as this, tell yourself firmly: if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. By all means, bring in a tasteful flourish here and there, but do not burn down an entire song and attempt to rebuild it. Basically, it’s disrespectful to the original songwriter.
Here’s a quick rundown of Fergie’s other badly executed techniques: twang, vibrato, distortion, thin/head voice, tongue position, belt. And she was often nasal and tense.
TL;DR: Egotistical, over styled, embarrassing.
The creative and excellently executed performance: Pentatonix, CFB Championship, 2023
The vocal group Pentatonix perform the national anthem as a complex five-part acapella arrangement.
Honestly, this could have gone one of two ways – it could have been messy, hammed up and over-engineered. But instead, they performed it with flair, creativity, and total class. Here’s how they did it:
They start off true to the song, then introducing some delicate and evocative harmonies, adding to the essence of the song, not attempting to change it.
Obviously, they understand the importance of rehearsal, because every single phrase matches each other perfectly – even that sharp ‘T’ at the end of “gallantly”.
The second section introduces a canon section, whereby the backing vocals follow the lead. This allows their expert talent some bonus airtime, showing what they’re truly capable of.
Then they tie it all back together for the final section, tidy, simple and satisfying. They execute some cheeky jazz chords and give us a few clear-as-day high notes which are the big juicy cherries on the perfectly baked cake.
TL;DR: Creative, playful, perfectly accurate
The lyrically lacking version: Christina Aguilera, Superbowl, 2011
Christina Aguilera was a highly anticipated artist for this particular year’s Superbowl. But was it worth the wait?
Look, I am a HUGE Christina fan. She got me through my horrible teenage years and she taught me so much about singing. But, girl, this ain’t it. Here’s why...
It’s a Cappella. An unusual and brave choice, showing every little imperfection. Because of the unflattering, raw, audio, the temptation is to chuck on every vocal effect at your disposal. And this is exactly what she did.
The elephant in the room is that she messed up the lyrics in a horribly obvious way – you can hear how this pulls her off pitch and knocks her confidence. And judging by the expression on her face at the end, she is NOT happy with herself. We all fluff lyrics from time to time, and it’s a gargantuan task to not show tell-tale signs. But she tried to paper over the cracks by over-egging the last section. So, not only did she mess up the lyrics, she over-sang the last few lines in a vain attempt to redeem herself.
There are two sides to Christina – the fierce ‘fighter’ side and the gentle ‘beautiful’ side. We got the former when we should have been treated to the latter. Take a lesson from this to assess what the song needs from you, rather than giving the song whatever mood you’re in at the time.
TL;DR: Chaotic, over-egged, stylistically questionable.
What’s your favourite and least favourite US national anthem rendition and why? What can you learn from their performance?
This blog was written by Freya Astrella, an expert vocal coach in East Sussex, UK.
Freya is a bonafide vocal technique expert and is one of the only teachers in the region to have gained Estill Voice certification. Freya holds a First Class BA(hons) in Professional Musicianship, a VocalTech Diploma, and a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance. She is currently undertaking the Vocal Process teacher training course.
Freya has taught all ages and abilities at BIMM, Access To Music, The Academy of Music And Sound, TheatreTrain, Stagecoach, and The Rock Project. She currently coaches at Rhapsody Artist Development in Seaford. Furthermore, Freya was a lead writer for VoiceCouncil.com, which was the biggest online resource for singers.
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