Gavin Degraw has not had good luck, in general, when it comes to singing the National Anthem. Last year, when he sang the patriotic tune before a Stanley Cup playoff game, he infamously slipped and fell on the ice. Well, at least he didn’t come to any physical harm while singing the anthem before the boxing match between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury II tonight. But, some of his sonic choices are getting a little negative feedback on Twitter, causing the singer to trend, and give everyone who loved his early stuff pause, worrying whether he was ok or not.
While unique renditions of the anthem are becoming quite prolific at this point — a few commenters brought up Fergie’s insanely offbeat jazzy version of the song before the NBA All-Star game in 2018 — Degraw’s issues mainly stemmed with shying away from high notes or flubbing time signatures. Still, there were plenty of people who appreciated Gavin’s rendition, and even more who brought up just how much they loved some of his early 2000s breakouts, including “I Don’t Wanna Be,” and “Chariot.” (Both are confirmed bangers, as is his entire 2003 album, Chariot.) Most of all, people were relieved he’s ok.
A small sampling of reactions:
https://twitter.com/TheChad_KC/status/1231441166803095557
Gavin DeGraw is trending and y’all almost gave me a heart attack👀 He wasn’t THAT bad. Y’all just love to hate on people 💅🏻 Anyways – *inserts pic of when i met him over 10 years ago cause it’s my time to shine* pic.twitter.com/mXNyTibUYn
— Bre💘 (@xdelicatedaisyx) February 23, 2020
I see Gavin Degraw trending and immediately think he died or some shit. And instead y’all are just complaining saying he sounded bad singing the National anthem which btw he didnt. The amount of people claiming it was the worst rendition they’d ever heard like Fergie doesnt exist pic.twitter.com/4pbxSmQjBH
— Mikayla (@mikayla_kat) February 23, 2020
Gavin DeGraw just sang the worst national anthem I have ever heard in my 21 years of existence
— Robert (@RSPacker) February 23, 2020
Someone arrest Gavin Degraw for homicide of the national anthem #WilderFury2
— Kyle Kirms (@kylekirms) February 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/PeriwinkleRip/status/1231441305424797696
gavin degraw is giving fergie a run for her money when it comes to unique versions of the national anthem
— abi (@abigail15369) February 23, 2020
https://twitter.com/skywalkerscotts/status/1231444354591592450
When Gavin DeGraw is trending…
Step 1: make sure he’s ok ✅
Step 2: 🗣 I don't want to be anything
Other than what I've been trying to be lately pic.twitter.com/7LQCIBDJ4Y— CMT (@CMT) February 23, 2020
Given all the nostalgia tours that are going around lately, maybe this will be what spurs a Degraw comeback? Stranger things have happened in the year 2020, even two months in. Watch his performance above and decide for yourself whether it was great, bad, ugly or simply unexpected. Meanwhile, Tyson Fury won the fight with a TKO.
