Christina Aguilera Will Sing at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards

Video of Christina Aguilera's rehearsal of the national anthem for Super Bowl XLV has surfaced. I wasn't surprised that she didn't bother to finish the entire song. Christina Aguilera has never come across as a humble person. In fact the words arrogant and rude are more accurate assessments of her behavior. She knows that she is talented and has the awards to back up her assertions. Her professional singing career started at an early age so she should be used to the spotlight and the scrutiny.

Why is it wrong to scrutinize the performance of a public figure at a scheduled public event? The Super Bowl is a highly anticipated venue. Advertisers pay mega bucks for seconds of air time. Fans make trips to unfamiliar cities to cheer on their teams. Some people even want the day following the super bowl recognized as a national holiday. Why wouldn't viewers expect to see a well polished--if not stellar performance?

Christina Aguilera isn't a bad person for ruining the National Anthem for Super Bowl XLV, but on February 6, 2011 she was a bad singer. The problems with the performance went far beyond the omission of words to include over singing and (at times) being out of tune. Sure she tried to make up for some of the mistakes by grimacing, singing louder and extending notes-- but it was a true avalanche of an effort.

Maybe being humbled will allow Christina Aguilera to reach even greater heights. This isn't meant to be processed like the moments in her song "Beautiful". Christina and her supporters shouldn't confuse a realistic analysis with words that are specifically designed to hurt. Anyone with the ability to hear knows that the performance was subpar.

It's time that we stop making excuses for Christina Aguilera specifically and our society in general. Pride really can be a stumbling block. While you need confidence to overcome challenges, too much of it can leave you out of breath and trying to remember the lyrics.

Fortunately Christina Aguilera will have a chance to redeem herself on February 13, 2011 during a tribute to Aretha Franklin for the 53^rd annual Grammy Awards.Let's hope that Christina takes the criticism to heart and allows her talent to shine. Here's to leaving Christina "Braguilera" in the past.