Have You Ever Heard the Star-Spangled Banner Sung in Cursive?
Ingrid Andress is here to help.
Because you’re about to! Ingrid Andress (“4-time Grammy losing singer songwriter,” according to her IG bio) sang the National Anthem at the 2024 Home Run Derby, and from sea to shining sea people were not impressed.
Who is Ingrid Andress?
Ingrid Andress is a country singer songwriter. Her breakthrough single was 2019’s “More Hearts Than Mine” hit the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at 30. In 2021, she collabed with Sam Hunt on “Wishful Drinking,” which also hit the Hot 100.
Re: those four Grammy nominations, in 2021 she was nominated for Best New Artist, and “More Hearts Than Mine” (she lost to Megan Thee Stallion) and its album were nommed for Best Country Song and Best Country Album. In 2023, “Wishful Drinking” got the nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
How bad a National Anthem are we talking?
Listen for yourself.
The national anthem sung by Ingrid Andress prior to the Home Run Derby ????pic.twitter.com/M0lhexxzWE
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 16, 2024
Okay but in the grand scheme of National Anthems, how bad?
I mean, not that bad. Roseanne Barr definitely got more flack for her 1990 rendition. And Fergie made bigger swings at the 2018 NBA All Stars Game.
Also, that song is too hard! The National Anthem is an annoyingly difficult song, for its ubiquity. The range you need for it is psycho, and when sung a cappella, it’s that much harder. Andress may have irked people with her cursive-style singing and lack of support on some of those big flourishes.
Wait, what is cursive singing?
Even if you don’t know the term, you know the vibe. That way people wayrm theyre vowayals and add a lot of vocal fry. When Camila Cabello was home for Quismoiss? That was cursive.
To paraphrase a French clowining instructor, a little cursive singing is okay, but a lot is more difficult. Plus she should take a page out of Charli XCX’s book re: singing live.
How did you manage to make this, a post about America’s favorite pastime and National Anthem, about Charli XCX?
Okay first of all, Andress co-wrote underrated Charli banger “Boys,” so it’s more germane that you think. But here’s the tea: in a recent interview promoting brat, Charli XCX said “I drink and I smoke and I use AutoTune.” Charli has been using AutoTune live for years, and there’s no shame in that. There’s so much software avail now that no one needs to ever sound bad live ever again.
Okay last q: is she wearing the TikTok viral Target cowboy boots?
See, that’s what I thought, but those are actually a little shorter. Can you imagine, though?
Related