The stage was set, the lights were bright, and millions of eyes were glued to the spectacle unfolding during the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show.
Among the performers gracing the stage was none other than the incomparable Alicia Keys. However, as the songstress belted out the opening notes of her hit track “If I Ain’t Got You,” something unexpected happened that perplexed many afterward.
During Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl halftime show, Alicia Keys belted her 2003 track, ‘If I Ain’t Got You.’ Though her voice wavered initially on the “Some People Want It All” portion, she quickly recovered. Yet, social media buzzed over the shaky start, leading to speculation about post-production edits made by the NFL in the version uploaded to their official YouTube page. The issue has been unaddressed by Keys, Usher, or the NFL as of now.
Why Is Everyone Questioning Alicia Keys’ Super Bowl Singing?
Amidst the glitz and glamour of the 2024 Super Bowl performance, internet sleuths quickly noticed a peculiar moment—an apparent voice crack from Alicia Keys.
During Usher’s halftime show, she surprised fans in a dazzling rich red dress, kicking off with a snippet of her iconic 2003 song, ‘If I Ain’t Got You.’
Following her solo piece, Keys teamed up with Usher to perform their 2004 hit collaboration, ‘My Boo,’ adding to the excitement of the halftime show.
The star-studded event also featured appearances by will.i.am, H.E.R., Lil Jon, and Ludacris, each delivering electrifying performances of their own popular songs like ‘OMG’ and ‘Yeah!’
However, Keys’ voice wavered during one of the initial notes, and as a result, she sang off-key during the “Some People Want It All” portion of her 2003 famous song “If I Ain’t Got You.”
But despite a slight voice crack at the start, Keys quickly found her footing and delivered a memorable performance. However, social media buzzed with commentary about the shaky opening moments, prompting discussions among fans.
Interestingly, in a version of the performance uploaded to the National Football League’s official YouTube page, the glitch seemed to have been digitally edited out, sparking speculation about post-production alterations.
As of now, neither Keys, Usher, nor the NFL has officially addressed the minor vocal hiccup or any potential post-performance editing, leaving fans to speculate about the behind-the-scenes details of the event.
Alicia Keys’ husband, Swizz Beatz, took to Instagram to defend her amidst the criticism. He redirected attention to the grandeur of her dress covering the entire stadium, praising her and Usher’s performance as “nothing but amazing.”
He captioned his Instagram post:
“Y’all talking about the wrong damn thing !!! y’all don’t see that amazing dress covering the entire stadium. Tonight’s performance was nothing but amazing with 2 amazing Giants! Congrats @usher and my love @aliciakeys that song is a classic. We don’t do negative vibes on this side we make history.”
What do you think of this slight mishap by Alicia Keys? Are people making a mountain out of a molehill? Should the NFL clarify if they did edit out the minor voice hiccup later?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
