The Oklahoma native and passionate Thunder fan is known for her powerhouse vocals and operatic range, a signature style she brought to the anthem.
Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth faced sharp criticism from NBA fans after her rendition of The National Anthem before Game 7 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, on Sunday, June 22.
Chenoweth took center stage live on ABC just before tip-off at Game 7 of the NBA Finals in nearly a decade. Dressed in sparkling knee-high boots, a Thunder shirt, and blue jeans, the Oklahoma native brought glamor and hometown pride to the court.
But it was her vocals that truly stole the spotlight. The Emmy Award-winning performer delivered a dramatic rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” hitting several sky-high notes — including one particularly long high note at the end.
While some viewers applauded the Broadway flair, others felt the performance missed the mark. Reactions online were anything but unanimous.
One viewer didn’t hold back, declaring, “She ruined the National Anthem completely!” Another person echoed the disappointment, “It was terrible, the end was painful. Why can’t they sing it how it’s supposed to be and leave it at that. Stop trying to be Whitney!!!”
Someone else pointed out, “Was fantastic until until the screeching ‘freeeeee’ why can’t people just sing it the way it was written [sic] .” Criticism of the operatic flair came through in one comment, “Just because it’s an operatic A DOESN’T make it sound any better! I thought it was more of a [sic] OPERATIC SCREECH!”
But not everyone agreed with the backlash. One fan rose to her defense, writing, “I think it’s stunning, sublime, I have no idea why some people hated it. They must be uncultured or deaf.”
