Ingrid Andress says she was drunk, going to rehab after National Anthem at the MLB Home Run Derby
Singer Ingrid Andress sang the anthem ahead of the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday in a performance that received backlash on social media. After being criticized online, the Grammy-nominated artist admitted in a statement on social media Tuesday that she was drunk during the performance and is checking into a rehab facility to get the help she needs.
Andress, a 32-year-old country singer whose singles "Wishful Drinking" and "More Hearts Than Mine" charted on the Billboard 100, was being compared with Fergie after what some called a botched anthem.
In 2018, the former Black Eyed Peas singer's rendition of the anthem ahead of the NBA All-Star game went viral for its unique flair. Even players watching from the sidelines couldn't keep a straight face as Fergie belted out a jazzier version of the iconic song.
Videos from the Home Run Derby, an event where MLB players compete for the most home-run hits, show Phillies player Alec Bohm smirking as Andress sang what many described as an out-of-pitch anthem.
And while many others watching at home didn't hold back their criticism and poked fun at Andress online, the singer has revealed the deeper reason her performance didn't go as planned.
"I'm not going to bull**** y'all, I was drunk last night," she wrote on social media, "I'm checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need."
"That was not me last night," she said. "I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition. I'll let y'all know how rehab is I hear it's super fun."
Ahead of the derby on Monday, she announced her single "Colorado 9" would come out on July 24. Her Instagram has relatively few posts, all of which focus on her music, and the comments are turned off.
Before sharing her statement about the anthem, Andress received support from country music duo Brothers Osborne, who wrote on social media: "I know everyone is here for laughs but as someone who has seen her sing many times live, she is incredibly talented. Not sure what happened here but I'd bet the farm there were huge technical problems with her monitors."
Andress and Fergie aren't the only ones to get negative attention for their anthem performances. In 1990, Roseanne Barr's rendition at a San Diego Padres game was criticized by many, but the actress defended her performance. "Geez, gimme a break. I was just trying to sing a song," she told CBS Los Angeles at the time, according to the Roanoke Times. "I apologize that people were so appalled."
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Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news.
