Ingrid Andress performs memorable new spin on the national anthem

Ingrid Andress is receiving some critical feedback on her national anthem performance.

The country singer crooned “The Star Spangled Banner” at Monday’s MLB Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, and audiences agree that she didn’t quite hit the song out of the park.

After a fairly traditional take on the opening lines, Andress remains unbound by the notes that we’re used to hearing from the rest of the tune. Her delivery of “What so proudly we hailed” sounds a little strained, so she quickly pivots to a softer execution of “At the twilight’s last gleaming” comparable to a whisper — akin to the indie-girl vocal stylings of singers like Billie Eilish and Phoebe Bridgers.

Andress’ take on the highest notes of the song’s first half, which come on words like “through” “ramparts,” prove to be slightly under the pitch of her surrounding vocals.

As with all memorable “Star Spangled Banner” performances, Andress’ version takes a turn just after the halfway point as she ascends the shaky musical staircase of “And the rockets’ red glare,” fittingly punctuated by muted firework explosions — though in context, they feel more like question marks or ellipses than exclamation points.

The singer’s heartfelt spin on “bombs bursting in air” and “gave proof” suggest she may be in some sort of physical pain at this point in the performance. If so, though, she immediately rallies for a second wind, opting for an ambitious reimagining of “that our flag was still there” that kicks the performance up to the next gear. 

Andress’ quieter vocalization on “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave” is far more conservative and understated than the rest of the song, and it’s immediately clear why: She’s gathering strength for one final push, lengthening and remixing “o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave” with unusual creativity.

At one point in ESPN’s broadcast of the performance, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm appears to stifle a smile, looking at his shoes with a wry grin on his face as he holds his hat to his heart.

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Online commenters were not particularly kind to the performance, with one user wondering, “Is this like a make a wish thing or something?” while another dubbed it “The Star Strangled Banner.” “I’ve seen her live several times and she’s always been great! I have no idea what on earth happened there,” another user said of the four-time Grammy nominee. “Honestly feel bad for her because wow.”

Many users also likened the rendition to Fergie’s similarly derided take on the song at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. Others may be reminded of Carl Lewis’ legendary version at a New Jersey Nets game in 1993. It was like the musical version of Carly Rae Jepsen’s iconic opening pitch.

ESPN had originally uploaded the video, but has since made it private for some reason. Fortunately, user Buzzer Beater uploaded most of the clip on a different channel. 

Watch Ingrid Andress’ national anthem above.