Ingrid Andress Goes Viral for National Anthem at Home Run Derby

UPDATE, Tuesday, July 16, at 2:16 p.m.: Ingrid Andress announced on Tuesday, July 16, that she is checking into rehab following her national anthem performance.

“I’m not gonna bulls–t y’all, I was drunk last night,” she wrote via Instagram on Tuesday. “I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition. I’ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun.”

Original story continues below:

Teoscar Hernández won the 2024 Home Run Derby, but Ingrid Andress was the star of the show thanks to her memorable rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the top of the evening.

Andress, 32, performed the national anthem in Arlington, Texas, on Monday, July 15, ahead of the annual MLB event, and many audience members — and players — were left baffled by her unusual take on the song.

“Wow! @IngridAndress actually did it, she united America #HRDerby,” tweeted one viewer, sharing a screenshot of multiple critical posts about the performance. Awful Announcing, meanwhile, weighed in with this recap: “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…”

Alec Bohm, third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, was captured seeming to barely hold back his laughter as Andress sang, while numerous social media users compared her performance to Fergie’s infamous rendition of the song at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. “Fergie can finally rest,” joked one X user, sharing a clip of Andress on the field.

Amid the widespread ribbing, a few audience members came to Andress’ defense, noting that “The Star-Spangled Banner” is a difficult song to perform. “The Star Spangled Banner is NOT a good national anthem,” read one post shared via X. “It’s hard to sing. It’s about war. And no one’s EVER gonna do it better than Whitney [Houston] or Jimi [Hendrix]. Let’s retire it.”

Comedian Matt Rogers, however, saw a silver lining in the whole affair. “I wish I could reach out to Ingrid Andress who just I guess bombed the national anthem, because she doesn’t know this right now but she just became an icon,” Rogers, 34, told his followers. “She can book WeHo Pride next year.”

Related: The Most Memorable ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ Performances Over the Years

Getty Images (3) The United States national anthem is, within the singing community, considered one of the hardest songs to perform. Some celebrities have certifiably slayed their live renditions of the tune, while others missed the mark. In July 2024, country star Ingrid Andress went viral for her unique take on “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which […]

While Andress was unknown to many viewers of the Home Run Derby, she’s a well-established country artist who’s been nominated for four Grammys, including Best New Artist in 2021 (she lost to Megan Thee Stallion). Her debut album, Lady Like, also earned a nod for Best Country Album. Andress’ most recent album, Good Person, debuted in 2022 and included a collaboration with country superstar Sam Hunt.

Ahead of the Home Run Derby, Andress confirmed that her new single, “Colorado 9,” will drop on July 24. She also announced two shows in Nashville and Denver.

“Greetings to everyone that has a pulse. I truly love you all so much. I’ve been absent for a minute, but I’m so stoked to announce that my new single ‘Colorado 9’ comes out on July 24th, pre-save it now (link in bio),” she wrote via Instagram on Monday. “Thank you for being here for me even though I’ve been living under a rock. Y’all are the best and I can’t wait to see you at my shows (stay tuned for more show announcements soon).”