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Beyonce Lip-Sync Scandal: Marine Corps Band Don't Know Whether Or Not She Mimed

24 January 2013, 15:01

They release a statement saying they are unable to say whether or not the star was singing live.

The Marine Corps Band have said they don't know whether Beyonce was miming or not when she sang at Barack Obama's inauguration.

The scandal has become the big topic following the inauguration on Monday (21st January), where Beyonce sang America's national anthem, 'The Star Spangled Banner'.

A spokesperson for the Marine Corps Band, who accompanied the star, had initially suggested that the singer lip-synced, sparking a global debate that saw Alicia Keys defend Beyonce during an interview with Capital FM.

But now, in a new statement, the band said they did not know whether or not Beyonce had mimed.

"The Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) requested that the Marine Band accompany Beyonce Knowles-Carter in the performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the 2013 Inaugural Ceremony," they said in a statement released to Entertainment Weekly.

"However, there was no opportunity for Ms. Knowles-Carter to rehearse with the Marine Band before the Inauguration so it was determined that a live performance by the band was ill-advised for such a high-profile event."

It continued: "Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances. Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

Watch what Alicia Keys said about Beyonce during an interview with Capital FM: