This past weekend, many were left unimpressed with the performance of The Star-Spangled Banner by singer-songwriter Jewel.
The outcry was made that her rendition was not faithful to its traditional tune.
On Sunday (May 28), she performed the anthem for a vast audience attending the Indy 500 event held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
At the annual event in Indiana on Memorial Day weekend, she delivered a rendition of the song that was slower than usual.
This soulful performance has drawn comments from many people on social media sites, with some voicing disapproval that she didn't sing it as normal.
Following the national anthem performance, reactions took to Twitter with a strong sense of disapproval.
One social media user commented it was "the perfect example of how not to do the national anthem."
They added that it was "to the point of being disrespectful."
Another Twitter user agreed, saying, "It should never be changed like this. Good artist, bad choice."
A third user stated, "@Jewel, You should be ashamed of yourself. Receiving the opportunity to perform the national anthem at the most anticipated racing event of the year is an honor not to be taken lightly."
Another Twitter user pointed out, "It was an embarrassment at the Indy500 when Jewel did her national anthem rendition. Her vocal styling made it impossible to follow along, destroying any chance for a sing-a-long-such a pity."
The response to Jewel's rendition of the national anthem has been mixed, with some people standing up in defense against accusations that she was disrespectful.
One social media user said, "I don't see or hear anything disrespectful or offensive. It takes guts and talent to add a personal touch to an anthem."
.@jeweljk sings the national anthem at the greatest spectacle in racing. 🇺🇸 #Indy500
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 28, 2023
📺: NBC and @peacock pic.twitter.com/rpjuG1o2dk
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Despite the backlash, support for Jewel remains among some individuals.
Expressing their views, one person declared: "I'm not sure why this is a problem. The song sounded wonderful to me."
Adding their thoughts, someone else shared: "She sang the words with feeling and had perfect pitch. It may have varied from the original, but many artists interpret classics differently".
Jewel is not the only singer to have their interpretation of The Star-Spangled Banner critiqued.
In 2018, Fergie's rendition at the NBA All-Star Game stirred up controversy with her arrangement turning the classic song into a sultry jazz melody that raised eyebrows worldwide.
She later on issued an apology saying, "I'm a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn't strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best."
Fast forward to the following year and Chaka Khan took her turn at singing the national anthem, but yet again the crowd was not impressed with her rendition.
