Josh Duhamel Says Fergie's National Anthem Performance Wasn't Her "Best Work"

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published 23 February 2018

On February 18, Fergie took centerstage at the NBA All-Star game and belted out a very interesting version of the national anthem. The singer's bluesy, sexy take on "The Star-Spangled Banner" drew a storm of criticism, mostly on Twitter.

Fergie later apologized for the performance, saying in a statement (opens in new tab), "I’ve always been honored and proud to perform the national anthem and last night I wanted to try something special for the NBA. I’m a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best."

During an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Fergie's ex, Josh Duhamel, weighed in on the performance.

"I think she would probably admit that it was not her best work, but the girl is crazy talented. She really is. She's an amazing woman—an amazing human being, really," Duhamel said. "It's hard to see somebody you care about get beat up like that. That's the business, you know? You're in this business. You put yourself out there. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose."

"Trust me, she's fine," he added. "She is about as resilient as they come."

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.