Fans called out Patti LaBelle after she flubbed her Tina Turner tribute at the BET Awards on June 26. While performing the late soul icon’s smash hit “The Best,” LaBelle, 78, struggled to keep up with the lyrics due to a teleprompter issue. While challenging, the singer and cook powered through the tribute with determination and grace.
At one point during the performance, the award-winning hitmaker hilariously admitted that she couldn’t “see the words” on the teleprompter.
“I don’t know. I’m trying, y’all!” she shouted.
LaBelle took the blunder in stride and called out for a little help from her “background singers.” With some love and praise from the audience, the powerhouse diva was able to pull through her rocky tribute to her good friend Turner, who died after a long battle with intestinal cancer in May.
Social media had a lot to say about the tribute.
On Twitter, some angry users lit into the “Godmother of Soul” for not knowing the lyrics to Turner’s classic hit. A few fans offered a little grace to the singer noting how the technical difficulties were out of her control. Check out some of the reactions below.
Patti LaBelle spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the embarrassing performance.
After the hiccup, LaBelle spoke to Entertainment Tonight about her difficult tribute performance. Although she struggled through the show, the legendary artist said she was proud of the way she delivered for her late friend.
“[The performance] meant no matter what voice I’m in — I’m hoarse, I have a cold — but whatever, I had to, I was giving it up for Tina Turner, ’cause she’s simply the best,” the “On My Own” hitmaker expressed. “So, you heard a little tweak every now and then out there, but I love her, and I did my best.”
This wasn’t the first blunder that Patti LaBelle has made onstage. In 1996, the singer struggled to perform a soulful rendition of “This Christmas” at the 1996 National Tree Lighting because her cue cards weren’t in order.
“Where my background singers!?” she shouted as she persevered through the performance. “That’s the wrong words on the cue cards. I don’t know the song!”
Relive the hilarious moment below.
What do you think? Did Patti come through for Tina Turner at the BET Awards on Sunday?
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