Billy Ray Cyrus Breaks Silence On His Inauguration Performance

Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus took center stage at President Donald Trump’s inaugural Liberty Ball on January 20, 2025, delivering a performance that became the subject of intense online debate. The 63-year-old singer’s set was marked by a series of technical difficulties and a polarizing stage presence that left fans concerned.

Cyrus kicked off his performance with his 2019 hit collaboration with Lil Nas X, “Old Town Road.” However, technical issues disrupted the set, forcing him to switch to an a cappella version after his equipment malfunctioned. Midway through the song, he called for assistance from the backstage crew, but the performance continued to face challenges.

Critics on social media described his voice as “gruff” and compared the scene to Jackson Maine’s downward spiral in “A Star Is Born,” while other TikTok users even suggested that Billy Ray Cyrus seek professional help.

Throughout much of his set, Cyrus appeared to be focused on the large projectors behind him, which were displaying the music video for his hit collaboration, “Old Town Road.” Rather than delivering a live rendition, he seemed to be quietly muttering his parts of the song into the microphone, his voice almost indistinguishable from the recording playing in the background.

The performance took another unexpected turn when Cyrus began repeating lyrics from the hit in a monotone voice, encouraging the audience to sing along as he wandered around the stage without a backing track.

He later attempted to play his 1992 breakout hit, “Achy Breaky Heart,” but encountered further issues with his guitar and microphone.

Resorting to another a cappella rendition, Cyrus walked around snapping his fingers and speaking the lyrics rather than singing them. At one point, he quipped to the audience, “Check? Is anybody awake? Y’all want me to sing more or you want me to just get the hell off the stage?”

Following the online discussion surrounding his controversial performance, Billy Ray Cyrus spoke to PEOPLE Magazine on January 22, where he reflected on the experience.

Despite the mishaps, Cyrus maintained a positive attitude and drew on President Trump’s rhetoric, remarking, “In life, when you have technical difficulties, you just gotta keep going, or as President Trump would say, ‘You gotta fight.'”

“I wouldn’t have missed the honor of playing this event whether my microphone, guitar, and monitors worked or not. I was there because President Donald J. Trump invited me,” the country music singer told the magazine. “I had a ball at the Liberty Ball last night, and I’ve learned through all these years when the producer says, ‘You’re on,’ you go entertain the folks even if the equipment goes to hell. I was there for the people, and we had a blast. That’s called rock ‘n’ roll!”

After seeing the performance, many fans expressed heartbreak and worry over the country star’s stage presence. The singer’s set, marked by technical difficulties and uncharacteristic behavior, left viewers divided, with some calling for him to seek help.

“This broke my heart…he was such a heartthrob back in the day. It’s not funny, this man needs help…many prayers that he gets help!” one user commented, reflecting the sentiment shared by many. Another wrote, “It was very sad…Prayers for him,” while someone else added, “Oh wow…this is beyond sad on so many levels.”

Others were less sympathetic, openly criticizing Cyrus’s performance. “That Billy Ray Cyrus performance at Liberty Ball was absolutely pathetic. Worst sh-t I’ve seen in a while,” one user remarked. Another added, “It seems that Billy Ray Cyrus had a LOT more than just TECHNICAL ISSUES going on at the Liberty Ball just now!”