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Unless you were living in a (hopefully well-ventilated) cave the last few weeks, you’re well-aware of the unfair amount of flak Ms. Beyoncé received for lip-syncing her amazing rendition of the National Anthem at President Obama’s inauguration. Can we maybe just pretend that she was saving her voice for her halftime show at the Super Bowl? Let’s go with that…

 

As disappointed as the public at large seemed to be in this innocent last-minute decision, the Super Bowl gave the naysayers back not one but THREE show-stopping, completely 100% live performances to chew on (or find something else to grumble about maybe, who knows).

 

First up, Weight Watchers spokeswoman/occasional Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson took the stage with the Sandy Hook Elementary school chorus for a touching version of “America The Beautiful”. Then, Ms. Alicia Keys dragged her piano out onto the field to give us a super chill, jazzy rendition of our National Anthem. Neither performance was perfect. But both were authentic. If anyone gives either of them crap for less than stellar performances, then you really cannot please everybody. You can’t have it both ways, people. I’ll take flawed but real any day of the weak. If only for its novelty…

 

 

 

 

 

Then, the moment everyone was waiting for – the football players kindly cleared the field to make way for Queen Bey as she not only belted out her biggest hits live but also did it while shaking her extremely gifted booty. Got something to say? Didn’t think so.

 

As expected, Beyoncé was eventually joined onstage by her Destiny’s Child comrades, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. And even though it seemed like the volume on their mics was waaayyy lower than Bey’s, it was still a fun moment… and a poignant one, amplifying how so very far Beyoncé has come since her “Survivor” days.

 

 

 

And so it was. Three of the most talented female artists in the music biz today showed up in New Orleans and reminded us what real, non-autotuned voices sound like. Right as we were beginning to forget. Whew! That was a close one.

 

 

- Katie Marzullo, YH Staff Editor

katie@younghollywood.com