Five of the Biggest Lip Sync Disasters of All Time

When we go to a live performance or listen to a recording of our favorite artist, we expect to hear their voice and not something dubbed over, which is known as lip syncing. Lip syncing has been done by a variety of artists around the world for a variety of reasons over the years. Lip syncing is generally frowned upon by almost everyone, which is understandable given that many people took out loans to enjoy the performances of their favorite artists. And no artist, or rather artist duo, has taken lip syncing to new heights like Milli Vanilli.

 

During the 1980s, Milli Vanilli was a popular topic. Their meteoric rise, with five top ten hits and three number one hits, resulted in them winning a Grammy for Best New Artist, with many artists wanting to make additional investments in their careers. However, many people were unaware that their voices were not their own and could be credited to someone else, which was too obvious. The spark vanished in 1989, when a blunder revealed the ruse. They were gone the following year, their Grammys revoked. While Milli Vanilli is the most extreme example of lip syncing, here are five famous artists who have done it at some point in their careers.

 

 

Mariah Carey During New Year’s Eve (2016)

 

While Mariah Carey has a powerful singing voice, her performance during New Year’s Eve festivities in New York City turned the iconic ball drop into a second act. Carey and her dancing ensemble performed Auld Lang Syne, a popular New Year’s song, at the time. Many people noticed right away that they weren’t singing but lip syncing the song, which resulted in their performances being a little off.

 

From the backing vocals to the background dancers to the audience, everyone was taken aback by what Carey did. After all was said and done, she blamed their lack of a soundcheck and called out the likely non-existent audio engineers that her monitors didn’t work, but she referred to herself as a ‘good sport.’ When We Belong Together was performed, however, she walked out ironically. To everyone’s credit, the show went off without a hitch.

 

 

Ashlee Simpson in SNL (2003)

 

While there have been mishaps during live performances on Saturday Night Live, none, with the exception of a few, have come close to what happened to Ashlee Simpson back in 2003. Simpson was attempting to separate herself from her more famous sister Jessica at the time. Her first live performance on the show went off without a hitch, as her first hit Pieces of Me was performed spectacularly. However, when she returned to the stage for a second performance, the vocals from Pieces of Me were played instead, much to her dismay.

 

Simpson initially played it off by holding her microphone and doing an awkward jig, much like a child caught up in their antics. However, the embarrassment was too much for her, and she bolted from the stage. When the curtains were drawn, Simpson, to some degree, gave her band a bad rap for playing the wrong song, which was extremely uncool. However, she admitted it by Monday and stated that her lip sync was caused by vocal stress. While she continues to have success in her career, her SNL gaffe pretty much defined it.

 

 

Bey Too?? (2013)

 

For many, Beyoncé can do no wrong. After all, she is a diva who is admired by millions of people. She can also sing any song with grace. However, her performance at US President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013 drew a lot of attention. She did not make an investment at the time to actually practice for the main event. As a result, she had to sing to a pre-recorded track.

 

While she was eventually exposed for her ruse, the fact that she perfectly synced the words and expressions made many people believe she was singing for real. As expected, Queen B walked away unscathed from the ordeal.

 

 

Singing Spilled Milk (2012)

 

While no one can deny that Justin Bieber, to his credit, has a great voice, his antics in public and during his performances have made him a household name for many. Perhaps his most well-known performance was on the first night of his world tour. During his performance in Arizona, he performed over pre-recorded songs, with the occasional vomiting in between.

 

According to reports, the singer blamed his mishap on ‘too much milk.’ True, but this doesn’t explain the lip sync completely. Regardless, his Beliebers were unconcerned about his mishap. On the other hand, some of his fans may be tolerant of his antics, such as him spitting from a balcony in 2013 and his various fistfights over the years.

 

 

Britney and Gimme Less (2007)

 

A decade before Mariah Carey’s lip-syncing gaffe, another pop star attended a different type of party and experienced the same outcome. Britney Spears had a rough time in the mid-2000s, from the shaved head to the messy legal battle between her and Kevin Federline with their lawyers, but her performance at the 2007 Video Music Awards was incredible.

 

Spears took the stage in this performance, billed as her comeback, and stunned the audience with what happened. The normally stellar performer appeared out of sync and listless, lip syncing every performance she made, including the laugh-inducing intro to Gimme Less. Many people didn’t expect her to lip-synch her songs, but lip-syncing her laughs? That is quite audacious.