Indy 500 fans SLAM Jewel for ‘extremely disrespectful’ rendition of national anthem ahead of historic race…as viewers claim she ‘ruined’ the moment with her twist on the classic
- The folk singer-songwriter’s performance of the anthem drew anger and attention
- Others defended her portrayal, saying the negativity was exaggerated
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Fans at the Indianapolis 500 may have thought singer-songwriter Jewel’s version of the national anthem was a little deaf.
Instead of performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” by the book, the Alaskan-raised Folk artist put together a more nuanced version of the national anthem.
On a stage the size of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” the four-time Grammy-nominated artist delivered a soulful rendition of the 200-plus-year-old song.
It was similar in style and tone to the national anthem she sang at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Utah, where she was born.
While it didn’t completely deviate from the notes as other versions had, nor was it a terribly sung version, some on social media objected to this rendition of the song.
Folk artist Jewel performed the national anthem at the Indy 500 – drawing a lot of reaction
The 49-year-old was chosen to perform the national anthem for the thousands in attendance
Many Twitter users were critical of Jewel’s performance in Indianapolis on Sunday
On Twitter, the version of the sung national anthem generated a lot of reaction – with the general consensus being mixed.
That said, there were a lot of Twitter users angry with the sound of the song.
“She did a great job slaying the national anthem and even kept her hat on – wow,” one person tweeted.
Another said, “You get the honor of singing the national anthem at the biggest racing spectacle and you decide to rewrite the music? I’m all for being creative and putting your own “personal” touch on it, but that was way too much!’
“This is the perfect example of how not to sing the national anthem,” another wrote. “It was disrespectful.”
Folkster Jewel was all smiles before stepping onto the track to perform her rendition
She is no stranger to singing the national anthem at sporting events, having previously been selected to perform at the NBA All-Star Game in February
Others defended her performance, saying the reaction may have been over the top
The Indy 500 was eventually won by Josef Newgarden, who then showered himself with milk
There were also numerous people who defended the performance for various reasons.
One user thought the performance was “out of place,” but said, “I’m a traditionalist who believes that our national anthem should always be sung in its own style. [sic] original shape. However, @jeweljk’s rendition was unique and sounded fun.’
Another said, “Hmm, I expected I would hate to hear the uproar. I thought it was a nice arrangement and suited her style. Personally I never really cared about her or her voice,
Another Twitter user thought the version matched Memorial Day’s tone, saying, “Wow, people online really can find anything to be offended about. I thought that was a beautiful rendition and wish everyone a happy Memorial Day weekend as we remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedom we are blessed with.”