John Legend and Kelly Clarkson Face Backlash for Criticising “God Bless the USA”
Although Kelly Clarkson and John Legend, two of the judges on The Voice, are recognised for emphasising singing quality over politics, a recent event involving them generated controversy. After criticising the song selection itself, Clarkson and Legend faced criticism during competitor Gyth Rigdon’s performance of “God Bless the USA.” Fans on Twitter reacted angrily to criticisms of Rigdon’s performance that were accurate, but questioned the song’s appropriateness given the current political atmosphere.
It was difficult for the judges to criticise Rigdon without coming out as unpatriotic because of his patriotic performance. Clarkson acknowledged the delicate nature of evaluating a song of that calibre and even cracked jokes about how hard it was. Although they gave Rigdon credit for his emotional connection to the song, the judges were candid about his vocal performance.
However, several viewers believed that their criticisms were excessively harsh or unjustified. This incident serves as a reminder of the careful balance judges must strike between providing helpful critique and honouring the song selection of a performer that holds emotional value for them. In the end, it emphasises the audience’s diversity of viewpoints and the subjective character of art.
