Billy Ray Cyrus Breaks Silence On His Donald Trump Inauguration Performance
Following the online discussion surrounding his controversial performance, Billy Ray Cyrus has officially reflected on the experience.
Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus took center stage at President Donald Trump’s inaugural Liberty Ball on January 20, 2025, delivering a performance that became the subject of intense online debate. The 63-year-old singer’s set was marked by a series of technical difficulties and a polarizing stage presence that left fans concerned.
Cyrus kicked off his performance with his 2019 hit collaboration with Lil Nas X, "Old Town Road." However, technical issues disrupted the set, forcing him to switch to an a cappella version after his equipment malfunctioned. Midway through the song, he called for assistance from the backstage crew, but the performance continued to face challenges.
Critics on social media described his voice as "gruff" and compared the scene to Jackson Maine’s downward spiral in "A Star Is Born," while other TikTok users even suggested that Billy Ray Cyrus seek professional help.
Billy Ray Cyrus' Performance Goes Viral
Throughout much of his set, Cyrus appeared to be focused on the large projectors behind him, which were displaying the music video for his hit collaboration, "Old Town Road." Rather than delivering a live rendition, he seemed to be quietly muttering his parts of the song into the microphone, his voice almost indistinguishable from the recording playing in the background.
The performance took another unexpected turn when Cyrus began repeating lyrics from the hit in a monotone voice, encouraging the audience to sing along as he wandered around the stage without a backing track.
What Happened During Billy Ray's Set?
He later attempted to play his 1992 breakout hit, "Achy Breaky Heart," but encountered further issues with his guitar and microphone.
Resorting to another a cappella rendition, Cyrus walked around snapping his fingers and speaking the lyrics rather than singing them. At one point, he quipped to the audience, "Check? Is anybody awake? Y'all want me to sing more or you want me to just get the hell off the stage?"
Following the online discussion surrounding his controversial performance, Billy Ray Cyrus spoke to PEOPLE Magazine on January 22, where he reflected on the experience.
Billy Ray Addresses The Online Chatter And Technical Difficulties
Here’s the full video of Billy Ray Cyrus “performing” at the Liberty Ball this evening. pic.twitter.com/sSkhjZDTtL
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