Could SZA have lip-synced her Super Bowl half time performance? Internet speculates

The Super Bowl halftime show is an iconic showcase for the few artists lucky enough to attain it. Those fortunate enough to have seized the opportunity have delivered their part and appear on a very short list as some of the greatest performers of all time. From Prince and Beyoncé to Lady Gaga and U2, the list of past performers is star-studded and universally respected.

This year’s Super Bowl Half Time Show, sponsored by Apple Music, starred Kendrick Lamar, with SZA as a guest feature. The Lana singer seldomly criticized online, came under fire for her performance. Social media users took to various platforms, including X, to question if her appearance was lip-synced, an act that would be an injustice to both the platform and her abilities as a performer.

Did SZA Lip Sync?

Given the frenetic nature of the performance, some believed that SZA leaned on the industry staple lip-sync in sections of her performance. During her performance of ‘Luther,’ there were signs of lip-syncing, including where she placed her microphone at points, as well as other moments when SZA’s lips were not moving in unison with the lyrics on the backing vocals. Later, while performing ‘All the Stars,’ fans noticed that the audio seemed to sound like it was pre-recorded as well.

The other camp of netizens in this debate were quick to come to SZA’s defense. Their viewpoint was that the singer turned in such a flawless performance that people had to assume that it was lip-synced because of how difficult it would be to deliver those types of vocals under the extreme stress and pressure of the given environment.

Is It Really a Big Deal?

While not uncommon in practice, her fans were disappointed that she leaned on what they perceived as an industry ‘crutch.’ It is important to note that she would not be the first performer to do so on this stage. Regardless of whether she did or not, fans still took to social media to praise a truly incredible all-around performance by R&B’s true Wonder Woman.

Lana

SZA is currently in the process of re-working her sophomore studio album Lana. Her fans can look forward to 4 additional songs that will be added to its tracklist: “Take You Down,” “PSA” and “Open Arms” and the recently announced “Joni”, a collaboration with Cactus Jack Records' Don Tolliver. The deluxe version of Lana hit all streaming platforms on February 9th.