Beyonce ready to sing National Anthem for Obama
Less than two days before singing the National Anthem at President Barack Obama's second Inauguration, Beyonce shared with Zap2it her deep feelings about the historic occasion.
"Every time I am overworked and in a stressful situation, I always think about moments like this," she says. "And it makes everything worth while."
A longtime supporter of Obama, Beyonce's voice softens as she says, "My father grew up in Alabama and my father was escorted to school with security guards. He was one of the few African-Americans in school."
Monday's (Dec. 21) public Inauguration of the president falls on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, making the moment even more special.
"There is so much history that we have overcome," Beyonce says. "And we are growing so much. It is so beautiful that I can make my family and my family's legacy proud and it is a huge opportunity, for me."
For someone who has played to huge audiences around the world, and sang "At Last" at one of the inaugural balls, this is so huge, Beyonce pauses.
"I can't really think about it until it is over," she says. "It is too much! There is no way I would be able to sing."
Though she has sung the National Anthem before, notably at the Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, she acknowledges that it is a hard song.
"I know it," Beyonce says of the National Anthem, "but it is the type of thing doesn't matter how many times you sing it. And the biggest fear is making sure you sing it right, and sing it correctly."
She rehearses hard before all performances and this was no different.
"I am practicing," she says. "I have the tour, the Super Bowl and National Anthem. I am rehearsing right now. I feel like I love this song. Of course it is really emotional and nothing is more emotional than when singing it for a cause, and I know -- the day after tomorrow. I don't want to think about it! I love the song because the melody is so beautiful, and you have so many choices. I want to keep it really elegant."
It's a certainty that her outfit will be elegant as well, though as of Saturday afternoon, she had not yet chosen her wardrobe for Monday.
"I have had a few fittings probably make decision once I get to rehearsal," she says.
"Every time I am overworked and in a stressful situation, I always think about moments like this," she says. "And it makes everything worth while."
A longtime supporter of Obama, Beyonce's voice softens as she says, "My father grew up in Alabama and my father was escorted to school with security guards. He was one of the few African-Americans in school."
Monday's (Dec. 21) public Inauguration of the president falls on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, making the moment even more special.
"There is so much history that we have overcome," Beyonce says. "And we are growing so much. It is so beautiful that I can make my family and my family's legacy proud and it is a huge opportunity, for me."
For someone who has played to huge audiences around the world, and sang "At Last" at one of the inaugural balls, this is so huge, Beyonce pauses.
"I can't really think about it until it is over," she says. "It is too much! There is no way I would be able to sing."
Though she has sung the National Anthem before, notably at the Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, she acknowledges that it is a hard song.
"I know it," Beyonce says of the National Anthem, "but it is the type of thing doesn't matter how many times you sing it. And the biggest fear is making sure you sing it right, and sing it correctly."
She rehearses hard before all performances and this was no different.
"I am practicing," she says. "I have the tour, the Super Bowl and National Anthem. I am rehearsing right now. I feel like I love this song. Of course it is really emotional and nothing is more emotional than when singing it for a cause, and I know -- the day after tomorrow. I don't want to think about it! I love the song because the melody is so beautiful, and you have so many choices. I want to keep it really elegant."
It's a certainty that her outfit will be elegant as well, though as of Saturday afternoon, she had not yet chosen her wardrobe for Monday.
"I have had a few fittings probably make decision once I get to rehearsal," she says.
