Why Jennifer Hudson Lip-Synched During Super Bowl Performance
Turns out, Jennifer Hudson lip-synched the national anthem before Sunday night’s Super Bowl.
The reason?
“This was such an important performance, because it’s the first time everyone has seen Jennifer,” the show’s producer, Ricky Minor, said of Hudson, who marked her first public performance on Sunday since her mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew were fatally shot in October. “But she’s in such a great place, with such great spirits, and time can heal her wounds. She’s on fire right now and totally grounded.”
Before her performance, Minor insisted that Hudson sing to the prerecorded track.
“That’s the right way to do it,” said Minor, who also produced Whitney Houston’s powerful 1991 rendition of the anthem. “There’s too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”
After the performance, Minor said Hudson asked him, “How did I do?”
“I told her, ‘Touchdown!’” he said.
He said her two cell phones also lit up “like slot machines” after her performance. She even got a text message from her Dreamgirls costar Jamie Foxx.
“His text said ‘Amazing. It brought tears to my eyes,’” Minor said. “She’s just getting so much love.”
