The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby began with a national anthem that will stand the test of time for all the wrong reasons. Singer Ingrid Andress’ rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas drew confused looks from the baseball stars on the field and hilarious commentary on social media.
Andress’ rendition just didn’t hit the same notes singers usually do. Her bizarre singing during some of the most iconic parts of the song almost brought several players to laughter. It was reminiscent of Fergie’s iconic national anthem at the 2019 NBA All-Star Game both in terms of its odd notes and the reaction from the players. Watch video of Andress’ anthem here:
The national anthem ahead of the 2024 Home Run Derby on ESPN by four-time Grammy-nominated artist Ingrid Andress was interesting, to say the least… pic.twitter.com/p3HkV9Vcvg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 16, 2024
Remember Whitney Houston’s anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl? Yeah … this is the complete opposite of that.
Andress grew up around baseball, with her father Brad Andress on staff as a coach on the Colorado Rockies. Andress has a few country music awards to her name, so good for her for building a career for herself. People just didn’t like this rendition of the anthem, according to social media:
That was the single worst National Anthem performance of all-time oh my god
— Addison (@YankeeWRLD) July 16, 2024
With all due respect, and I mean this sincerely, this is the worst anthem I’ve ever heard. Fergie would’ve been an upgrade
— kenny (@kiiLkenny) July 16, 2024
Was that anthem a bit?
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 16, 2024
Perhaps not the anthem we needed, but the one we deserve.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) July 16, 2024
Unless you are Whitney Houston, a memorable national anthem usually isn’t a good thing. Ingrid Andress is certainly a talented songwriter and singer in her own genre, but it’s safe to say she is no Whitney Houston.