Fergie Acknowledges National Anthem Snafu: 'Clearly This Rendition Didn't Strike The Intended Tone'

Fergie’s performance of the national anthem at Friday’s NBA All-Star Game didn’t exactly go over well, with her sexy take causing observers to take to Twitter in confusion and dismay. The singer released a statement Monday responding to the backlash, admitting that “clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone.”

“I’ve always been honored and proud to perform the national anthem and last night I wanted to try something special for the NBA,” the statement reads. “I’m a risk taker artistically, and clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone.”

“I love this country and honestly tried my best,” she finished.

Variety‘s Chris Williman compared her performance to a “screechier and scarier” version of Marilyn Monroe’s rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” and mused whether it’s possible she was attempting to pay homage to Marvin Gaye, who also performed a slinkier-than-normal version of the song at the 1983 All-Star Game.

Others on Twitter were not so subtle. Leslie Jones took a break from her Olympics tweeting to write, “Why did this happen? Not everyone supposed to do this y’all! You might as well should have ask me to sing. Wtf?!”

Roseanne Barr, who infamously attempted to turn the anthem into a joke at a 1990 baseball game between the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds, wrote “I think mine was better lowkey.”

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