Beyoncé’s performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” was near perfect, save for the fact that the star wasn’t actually singing into her microphone.

The singer stood on the podium in front of one million spectators and mimed the words to our country’s theme song, according to The Washingtonian.

Beyoncé and her crew were all set to sing the song live, but scrapped that plan and opted to lip-sync over a pre-recorded track. Inauguration attendees who sat up close next to the president’s Marine Band were able to make out the fact that she wasn’t really singing. The band led by Colonel Michael J. Colburn was in on the deceptive plot, as band members were ordered to mimic the action of playing their instruments.

Beyoncé further tricked audiences when she yanked the earpiece out of her ear. The audience took it as a sign that she could not hear herself and now we know why. Just a day before the inauguration, Beyoncé provided proof to the claims posting photos to her Instagram account. The singer can be seen practicing “The Star Spangled Banner” in a music studio in front of recording equipment.

The Times of London reported that a spokesperson confirmed the reports, saying it was standard procedure to use a backing track and that Beyoncé decided to use it just before stepping up to the microphone on the podium.

Beyonce’s performance is the first of many in the line-up scheduled for this year. She will take the stage at the NFL halftime show on Feb. 3 in New Orleans. The performance will feature a reunion with her Destiny Child band mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. It will be the trio’s first public performance since 2006 and they will sing “Nuclear,” a new track from their fifth studio album set for release on Jan. 29.

For President Obama’s first dance at the inaugural ball in 2009, the “Run the World” singer serenaded the first couple with “At Last” by Etta James.

Tags: Beyonce Barack Obama obama inauguration