NY Times confirms Beyonce did lip synch the national anthem (Video)

Rumors were circulating Tuesday morning, January 22, 2013, and The NY Times confirmed them around noon. Beyonce did lip synch the national anthem Monday at President Barack Obama's inauguration.

A representative of the United States Marine Band confirmed the rumor for NY Times, but they could not provide an explanation for the decision not to perform the Star Spangled Banner live. The decision was reportedly made at the last minute. The NY Times reports:

“All music is pre-recorded for the ceremony because there are so many eventualities and conditions that day,” Kristin DuBois, a rep for the band tells Page Six. “We performed, live, the band. But we received last-minute word that Beyonce was going to use the pre-recorded vocal track. Those were the instructions we were given. We don’t know what the reason why.”

Singer Beyonce performs the National Anthem during the public ceremonial inauguration for U.S. President Barack Obama on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC

Photo credit: 

John Moore/Getty Images

The odd part of the whole thing is the way that she removed her earpiece midway through.

Lip synch is not such an uncommon occurrence, but many people have had trouble believing that yesterday’s emotional performance was not live.