Billy Ray Cyrus’ performance at Donald Trump’s Liberty Ball on January 20 turned into an unexpected spectacle, as technical issues and vocal criticism overshadowed his set. The country singer took the stage in Washington, D.C., performing his signature hits, Achy Breaky Heart and Old Town Road, but the night didn’t unfold as smoothly as he had hoped.
Midway through his performance, Cyrus encountered an issue with his guitar, leaving him visibly frustrated. After wrapping up Old Town Road, he realized he couldn’t hear his instrument and turned to the stage crew for answers. “Is my guitar still on? I think they cut me off. I don’t hear my guitar anymore,” he said, raising the instrument in confusion. Searching for assistance, he called out, “Is anyone awake? Is anyone back there? Can somebody turn my guitar back on?”
Eventually, a crew member intervened, resolving the problem. In an attempt to lighten the moment, Cyrus addressed the crowd with humor, saying, “Y’all want me to sing more, or you just want me to get the hell off the stage? I don’t give a damn.” He then carried on with the show, adding, “When you have technical difficulties, you got to just keep going. Or as President Trump would say, you got to fight!”
However, the performance didn’t resonate well with many viewers. Fans took to social media to voice their disappointment, with some criticizing Cyrus’ rough vocals. Comments flooded X (formerly Twitter), with one user calling the performance an “epic disaster” and another bluntly stating, “That Billy Ray Cyrus ‘performance’ at Liberty Ball was absolutely pathetic.”
Accusations of lip-syncing also surfaced, particularly when a video of Old Town Road featuring Lil Nas X played on stage. A skeptical viewer remarked, “Billy Ray Cyrus, clearly lip-syncing, looks like he crawled out from under a bridge before this weak performance.” Another questioned his overall demeanor, writing, “Why does Billy Ray Cyrus look so out of it? This is horrible.”
His fashion choices also sparked online ridicule. Dressed in a black jacket, dark-washed jeans, a multi-colored scarf, and a cowboy hat, Cyrus drew comparisons to Pirates of the Caribbean’s Captain Jack Sparrow. One user joked, “Billy Ray Cyrus or Captain Jack Sparrow … you tell me.”
Despite the setbacks and social media backlash, Cyrus powered through the performance, proving that even in the face of criticism and technical difficulties, the show must go on.