Ciara explains National Anthem flop at baseball game

Singer Ciara suffered her worst nightmare as she sang the National Anthem before baseball's All-Star Game on Tuesday night (14Jul15) when her microphone pack stopped working just as she was about to perform live.

Fans saw her fiddling with her equipment as she sang the Star Spangled Banner acapella at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park in Ohio and now the Goodies singer reveals she really struggled to stay focused.

She says, "It was such a great challenge; it's something I've always wanted to do for a long time, and it was like me facing my fear that I've had since I was young.

"You can never be fully prepared for performances like that... (and) right before it's time to go live on TV my pack goes out and my background singer, thank God for her, tossed me her pack, but her levels were completely different than mine... What are the chances?

"I was like, 'Let's just go for it... Ignore the delays. Find your calm... The show goes on'."

Critics took aim at Ciara for the pitchy rendition of the anthem during baseball's big night.