This year’s BET Awards were filled with exciting moments and meme-worthy tidbits. One moment fans couldn’t stop talking about was Patti LaBelle’s Tina Turner tribute. The singer was unable to read the words on the teleprompter and made it very clear that she could not see while on stage. Now, the singer has opened up about the mishap.
While singing Turner’s song, “The Best,” LaBelle continuously said into the mic that she could not see the words.
“I can’t see the words and I don’t know. I’m tryin’, y’all!” LaBelle told the crowd.
Although she was having struggles, she was able to catch back up with the teleprompter and her backup singers for the song’s chorus.
“God bless you, Tina Turner,” she said before exiting the stage.
Social media quickly reacted to LaBelle’s troubled tribute. Some pointed to a 1996 performance when she sang “This Christmas” in front of an audience with similar results. She kept criticizing the person holding up the cue cards by saying they were moving too slow and even asked where her background singers were during the performance.
Patti Labelle’s Reasons
In an interview with ET, Labelle shared the reasoning behind her struggles at the BET Awards. She didn’t mention the teleprompter issue but instead said she was sick. She added that the performance was important for her.
“It 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,” LaBelle said, as she became emotional thinking about the late singer. “So you heard a little tweak every now and then out there, but I love her, and I did my best.”
Tian Turner passed away last month in her Switzerland home at the age of 83.