Beyonce Holds Pre-Super Bowl News Conference
BROOKE BALDWIN, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Here she is, Beyonce walking out, news conference, New Orleans. This is happening right now. I want you to take a good long listen.</s>BEYONCE, SINGER: How is everyone? Would you guys mind standing? Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming, and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there? Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave the brave. Thank you, guys, so much. Any questions?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, thank you, Beyonce for that. I think all of us are ready to run on the field and start playing ball. That was fantastic. Now, before we get to questions, I do want to make sure that you do have a microphone in your hand, you are called on, you will be able to ask questions. And, at this time, if we can have our still photogs please take a seat and we can get going here. As per custom from the big stage here at the National Football League, our first question will go to the Associated Press, Nekesa Moody.</s>NEKESA MOODY, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Hey, how are you?</s>BEYONCE: Hi, how are you? Thank you.</s>BEYONCE: Well, I am a perfectionist. And, one thing about me, I practice until my feet bleed. And I did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra. It was a live television show and a very, very important, emotional show for me, one of my proudest moments. And, due to the weather, due to the delay, due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking a risk. It was about the president and the inauguration. And I wanted to make him and my country proud, so I decided to sing along with my prerecorded track which is very common in the music industry. And I am very proud of my performance. Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kevin Frazier, OMG, beside her. Kevin?</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>KEVIN FRAZIER, OMG: Beyonce, how are you doing?</s>BEYONCE: Hi.</s>FRAZIER: All right, let's move on to the Super Bowl halftime and we want to know. There have been a lot of rumors that there will be a Destiny's Child reunion. Will your husband be up there?</s>BEYONCE: I don't know.</s>BEYONCE: I can't really give you any details. I'm sorry.</s>FRAZIER: Will we hear from the girls any time soon?</s>BEYONCE: Well, we just had a new release, the "Love Songs," Destiny's Child album. And we did a new song. It was exciting to hear us together again. I just kind of dropped on the floor and felt like a little teenager again when I heard us harmonize. There is nothing like our connection and the sisterhood we have, so it's always such a pleasure to be around them, professionally and personally.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, our next question here will come from A.J. for "Extra."</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>A.J. CALLOWAY, "EXTRA": How are you doing, Beyonce?</s>BEYONCE: How are you doing, A.J.?</s>CALLOWAY: Are you happy, are you excited and ready to do this Super Bowl?</s>BEYONCE: Oh, my God, I am so anxious, yes.</s>CALLOWAY: Well, I've got to say, first of all, I saw the documentary before that they just played and it was unbelievable.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>CALLOWAY: You show so many different sides of yourself that we've never seen before. Are you nervous about putting all that out?</s>BEYONCE: I'm nervous and still very nervous. It was really interesting, directing and editing myself and seeing all the mistakes that I've made and still putting it in the film and seeing life as if it wasn't me. And I feel like it's time. It's time for people to really get to know me and to see a different side. And I'm really curious and scared and, every night, I'm like, now it's too late. It's coming out. But I'm happy with it.</s>CALLOWAY: It was absolutely great.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>CALLOWAY: Last, who are you rooting for? Who is going to win?</s>BEYONCE: Man, I can't say that either.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You put her in a tough spot</s>BEYONCE: I can't say that. I can't say that.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we have queued up right behind, Alicia?</s>BEYONCE: Hello, how are you?</s>ALICIA QUARLES, "E NEWS": Alicia from "E News." Question, so, will you be singing live or will you sing the track? The Black-Eyed Peas sang live. They got ridiculed. Madonna sang the track. She got ridiculed. What are you doing and what decision goes into making that?</s>BEYONCE: I am absolutely be singing live. I am well-rehearsed and I will absolutely be singing live. This was what I was born to do, what I was born for.</s>QUARLES: Right before this, we saw Blue Ivy. You finally showed us video of your baby. Why did you feel like this was the time to do it before Super Bowl in front of the press?</s>BEYONCE: Oh, my God. Well, I feel like my daughter has changed me and changed my life and has given me so much purpose. I feel like this movie is, like I told A.J., it's very necessary and I think it shows a human side. We're all human and I feel like, at some point, my child, my job is to protect her and I'm happy that I could tell my story on my terms.</s>QUARLES: How do you mentally prepare to sing and dance live in front of the world? This is a different platform.</s>BEYONCE: Like I said, I've had a 16-year career and all of the things that I've done have prepared me for this, so I'm ready.</s>QUARLES: What about the haters?</s>BEYONCE: I love haters. No shame. No hate.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Alicia. We have a question over here from "Entertain Tonight." Rocsi?</s>ROCSI DIAZ, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT": Rocsi Diaz from "Entertainment Tonight." Hey, Beyonce.</s>BEYONCE: Hey, how are you?</s>DIAZ: You look beautiful, by the way.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you, thank you.</s>DIAZ: Do you feel any pressure, though you shouldn't after that wonderful performance you gave us, but any pressure for Sunday on the halftime show and how it's going to come out?</s>BEYONCE: It is nerve-racking and it is something that we've been preparing for about four or five months, so, of course, I'm nervous and I think when I was driving up, I just got chills because I saw the Super Dome and so much history there. And it's where -- my family is from New Iberia, Louisiana, so it really makes me emotional to have a halftime performance. I think of all my heroes, and it's the one thing, when I am no longer here, it's what they're going to show. And it is something that I am so honored to be doing at 31-years-old. And when I got into the Super Dome, I took my shoes off and I planted my feet into the ground and I just ran. And I'm trying to learn to live in every moment because these moments are not promised to us. And I am so, so happy right now. I feel so full and this is such a huge opportunity. I take it very serious, so I'm excited.</s>DIAZ: We see you be so, so open in your social media. You've tweeting out rehearsal pictures. You've been tweeting out what your dancers have been doing. Is this because of the pressure from the White House and all the attention you got from being back stage that you wanted to be completely open on everything that's going on for the halftime show?</s>BEYONCE: No, I have been taking pictures and tweeting and -- not tweeting, but using my Tumblr and focusing on my website for the past six months. So, I feel like the fans are a part of this and I want them to be a part of every step of the way.</s>DIAZ: You look beautiful.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the next question right behind on "Access Hollywood."</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Beyonce</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is the pressure, the difference in the pressure you felt for the inauguration versus what you feel this weekend?</s>BEYONCE: Well, I feel like this weekend I'm performing at the halftime show. And I feel like, before, the event was not about me. So, I'm excited to have done both, but now I'm on to the halftime show. Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, our next question will come from our center from</s>CNN. BEYONCE: Hello.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me just say what everyone's thinking. That was the first in-your-face of the Super Bowl, you walking out here and nailing that national anthem.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you so much.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I have to ask. I mean, you know, when anybody does the national -- excuse me -- does the halftime show, there's a reason they use backing tracks. It's because there is a lot of production involved. There's a lot of running around. Did you, after the whole thing that happened with the national anthem, say, I'm not doing any of that. I am completely going to be singing this with no backing tracks whatsoever? In other words, did all of that flack, unnecessary or not, affect what you are doing at halftime?</s>BEYONCE: I always sing live. If there's -- this inauguration was, unfortunately, a time where I could not rehearse with the orchestra actually because I was practicing for the Super Bowl, so it was always the plan.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, as far as the Grammys go, what are you going to be performing at the Grammys? I mean, I know you ...</s>BEYONCE: Well, who said I was performing at the Grammys?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't have that much going on. You know, it's just the inauguration, the Super Bowl.</s>BEYONCE: No, I don't have that much going on. I don't know if I'm performing at the Grammys.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, speaking of CBS, the next question comes right here.</s>STEVE FUTTERMAN, CBS NEWS: Hi, Beyonce.</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>FUTTERMAN: Steve Futterman from CBS News. Can I clarify one thing that you said. You were sing along with the prerecorded track. At the inauguration were you actually singing, as well, or did any sound come out of your vocal cords during the national anthem?</s>BEYONCE: Typically, they have you sing a prerecorded track because anything could go wrong. So, I did sing along with the prerecorded track.</s>FUTTERMAN: So, you actually were singing and the prerecorded track was being played, as well?</s>BEYONCE: Yes.</s>FUTTERMAN: OK. And there is a rich tradition of this. I know opera singers quite often, I think, at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics when your opera singers -- is this something that just is part of the craft that you're in? Sometimes people do use the prerecorded tracks?</s>BEYONCE: Absolutely.</s>FUTTERMAN: OK.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Beyonce, every year, those of us who work at the Super Bowl, we have a lot of challenges ...</s>BEYONCE: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a lot of issues. This year is no different.</s>BEYONCE: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not at all. You've 99 problems, but Beyonce ain't one of them. It's time to move on.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a question here in the back.</s>PETER SCHRAGER, FOX SPORTS: Peter Schrager from Fox Sports ...</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>SCHRAGER: ...</s>BEYONCE: Well, I can't take you through what Jay-Z does. He has to tell you himself. But I can tell you for the past few months, I'm usually on the computer, pulling references, looking at my rehearsals, and I have been so focused on this halftime show. But I do fall asleep and wake up with a lot of football. And I know every little detail because of the fantasy football. I actually have the utmost respect for the players.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a question right behind you here. Here we go. Sir?</s>JOHN MOORE (PH), AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER, BALTIMORE: Yes, John Moore with the African-American newspaper in Baltimore.</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>MOORE: What will you do to relax after all of this?</s>BEYONCE: Oh, my God, I can't wait. I'm going to enjoy my daughter. I'm going to enjoy my daughter. I miss her. I'm working so hard and I keep saying, mommy will be done Sunday at 9:00. Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, next question, Megan from "Inside Edition." Megan?</s>MEGAN ALEXANDER, "INSIDE EDITION": Hey, Beyonce.</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>ALEXANDER: So, everybody this week has said you're it. It doesn't get bigger than you for this performance. As you shared in your documentary, you are a perfectionist. You care a lot about the details. We hear that it takes eight minutes for the crews to clear the field ...</s>BEYONCE: It does.</s>ALEXANDER: ... and get your set going. Can you just give us any insight into your set, how quickly you have to move with your crew. This is very choreographed.</s>BEYONCE: Yes, it is. There's, I think, seven-and-a-half minutes for the volunteers to put the stage together. And it took so many months to just decide what the stage was because some of the things that were in my head just wasn't possible to put together in that amount of time. So, I met the volunteers and they are so incredible. We are all working together and I can't give too much away, but I can say that every second matters and we're working.</s>BEYONCE: That was one of the hardest things. I have so many songs and trying to condense a career into 12 minutes was not easy because all of my songs are like my children.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, Beyonce, this is more of a personal question, but my daughter would like to know, when are you going back on tour?</s>BEYONCE: When am I going on tour? I would say soon. I may have an announcement after the performance and the fans should just stay tuned to see.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do have another question from NFL.com. Bring it over here, please.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, I'm</s>BEYONCE: Hello.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the past, you know, global icons, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, they've all performed at this. Has this ever been an aspiration of yours and where does this rank for you?</s>BEYONCE: This has been an aspiration for me. Just thank God that I am given this opportunity and you work -- like I said earlier, you work very hard for these moments. And I'm just hoping that all of my life lessons and all of my experience, all -- I can feel and I use during this performance. Thank you.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we have one more question that we have ready to go and I believe it comes from Denmark. Would that be correct?</s>BEYONCE: Hi.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. That is correct. My name is Tommy Kierscot (ph) from TV 3 Sport Denmark. I only get one question, so I can't choose. I have A, B, or C. You choose.</s>BEYONCE: I will say</s>B. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: B? That's the fun category. What color is your toothbrush and why did you choose that color?</s>BEYONCE: I love your question. Truly multicolored. It's blue. And why? Blue and white, I think. Blue and yellow, maybe.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there we have it. Beyonce, we want to thank you for coming and we can't wait until Sunday for the Pepsi Halftime Super Bowl Show.</s>BEYONCE: Thank you all. Thank you very much.</s>BALDWIN: OK, so, here she was, Beyonce. Let me just give you a little backdrop. You didn't know what happened, what went on there a couple of minutes ago. Beyonce, that was basically her "there you go," singing the national anthem after she admitted to having that back-up voice track which, apparently, a lot of artist do during the presidential inauguration singing the national anthem. And, so, she walked out, right, during this news conference here ahead of the Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans and, before she answered any of the questions, you see the red, white and blue, the flag over her shoulders, and she belted out the national anthem. And, so, I just want to bring in -- we have two voices here, Nischelle Turner, our entertainment correspondent in Los Angeles, and Michael Mauldin who I want to go to who has been gracious enough to sit with me through all of this here in the studio. Knew Beyonce back when she was 15-years-old and you were the head guy at Columbia Records and you all signed Destiny's Child, currently with CEO Artistic Control Group. So, here, we watched this together. You and I both sort of said -- you said you got goose bumps.</s>MICHAEL MAULDIN, FORMER PRESIDENT, COLUMBIA RECORDS: I got goose bumps. It was amazing. And what better way to -- yeah, what better way to like -- listen, this is what I do, you know? And before she came on, we were talking. It's just -- she is that talent and she does work hard. And, so, when she says that, I can honestly say that, being there even at -- when you say 15, I remember going to Houston when she was 14 and watching the group and trying to decide whether or not we were going to sign them. But even then, amazing. Amazing.</s>BALDWIN: She was transparent about that saying that she didn't have enough time to practice with the Marine Corps Band, saying there were weather issues, and gave those reasons as examples why she used this backup track. Nischelle Turner, let me go to you because I hear you interviewed, what, a producer recently who said, you know, look, if she didn't have some sort of backup vocal track, that would have been unprofessional. Is that right?</s>NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. I was talking to Rickey Minor who has actually produced nine Super Bowl pregame and halftime shows in his day. He's the leader of "The Tonight Show" band right now. The last one he did was in 2009 with Jennifer Hudson and Faith Hill. And what he told me was -- he also -- I'd be remiss to say he produced Whitney Houston's 1991 "Star-Spangled Banner" that everyone remembers before the Super Bowl -- and he said there are just too many variables in a situation like that to not have a prerecorded track. And, basically, you know, everyone says lip-syncing, singing to a prerecorded track, it's like splitting hairs, Brooke. But there is a difference. If you're lip-syncing, nothing's coming out. But if you're singing along to your prerecorded track, people can still hear you singing and that's what she said she was doing. But he said, yeah, it would be unprofessional if you didn't do that because of the magnitude of the moment.</s>BALDWIN: OK. This has just been so part of this national conversation. Whether you think it's silly or not, so many people have been talking about it. Nischelle Turner, thank you. Michael Mauldin, a pleasure meeting you.</s>MAULDIN: Thank you.</s>BALDWIN: Thank you so much for hanging out this afternoon with me. And here we are, we should tell you, on the eve of Super Bowl XLVII. CNN is live in the thick of things in New Orleans with our take on the biggest sporting event in the city, what it means to the city, how it became such a cultural phenomenon, much more, as we, of course, welcome Rachel Nichols as she hosts "Kickoff in New Orleans -- A CNN Bleacher Report Special," Saturday afternoon, 4:00 Eastern, here on CNN.