I have a serious, serious newsflash for you. This is definitely breaking news, and I, JayBird, have the scoop. That’s right, the credit is all mine. Have you braced yourself? Excellent. Here it is: Britney Spears. May. Lip-synch. I hope that information resulted in a dramatic tumbling from your chair. Who’s my source? The Minister for Fair Trading for New South Wales in Australia. She made the announcement today that Britney Spears may (will) lip-synch parts of her concert there. And she wants to warn fellow Australians, lest they be deceived.
Britney Spears just arrived in Australia on Thursday, but already she’s the subject of government scrutiny – over whether concertgoers realize she’ll be lip-synching portions of her concerts.
Virginia Judge, the Minister for Fair Trading for New South Wales (the Australian state that includes Sydney), said she is considering options to make sure fans aren’t misled when buying tickets to Britney’s Circus tour concerts. Some seats are going for more than $1,300.
“It is Britney’s ‘prerogative’ to lip-sync, and it is my job to make sure consumers know what they are paying for up front,” Judge said in a statement released by the government.
One idea is to require disclaimers on promotional materials and tickets indicating that portions of a show will be pre-recorded.
It’s no secret that many artists, including Spears, lip-sync at times during their elaborate stage shows. And this Australian initiative may not have much effect on interest in Spears tickets, given that many of the shows Down Under are already sold out.
“Personally I would rather see a live set from a local artist,” Judge said, “but I am sure Britney’s fans will be treated to a spectacular show.”
[From People]
Yeah I would definitely feel deceived if I went to a Britney Spears concert where she’s dangling off wires from the rafters while dancing and she were NOT singing live – and perfectly on pitch. I think most people understand that pop stars that put on an athletic performance aren’t singing most of the time. Or at least they have very powerful backtracks. Really, if you’re into Britney Spears, it’s not because of her incredible vocal ability. Unless you think a synthesizer and Auto-Tune are her natural voice. You’re going to her concert because she’s famous and controversial, and because she’s a good performer. I don’t think anyone ever accused her of being a great singer.
But thank you, Virginia Judge. You’ve ruined the façade for me. And to think, you’re not even a Britney fan.
Here’s Britney in Perth, Australia today. Images thanks to INF Photo.
Like people thought otherwise!? Jeez, it isn’t as if this hasn’t been talked about since the tour began.
Madonna lip syncs too. I saw her in New York years ago and she lip sync’d the entire show, AND admitted to it after she dropped her mic! Good times, good times!
I think this is the best thing anyone has ever done for the public! LOL!
Seriously though. You pay what? 1000 bucks plus for tickets and all you get is a puppet act. You should at least be told ahead of time.
cheers!
Who needs to be told? everybody already knows.
Well, she once WAS a great performer. That was pre-K Fed. All she’s doing now is trotting around on stage. So sad. 🙁
she lipsyncs most of her show but not all of it. she’s not at all a bad singer, or “can’t sing” as people try to say. She doesn’t sing like celine dion or mariah carey but then neither of them perform or dance like her either
Looking on the bright side, things must be going awfully well in Australia if the government has nothing better to do than remind Britney’s customers that she lip syncs at times during her show.
I don’t get it. Isn’t this common knowledge? Who could sing smoothly and on key while running around, swinging from trapeezes or whatever she does in her concerts? It’s not like she’s sitting alone on stage with a guitar in hand.
I think what horrifies me is the prices of some of the tickets-1,300!! Woah. Everyone who lip-synchs should have to state so on their information for the Show. Then if someone chooses to pay that much or even $50, then they will be making an educated choice. She has no more voice than most singers to-day. As far as her dancing- it is okay. Can I dance like her, no. Can she do the work I do, no.
Well if people are stupid enough to pay those prices, they are probably going for the show. Like I said earlier, it has been common knowledge since she started the tour that she sang very few songs live. As another poster pointed out, no one can do the crap she does and sing.
If you want to see people sing live, go to a U2 concert, Metallica, John (ugh) Mayer, Sprinsteen. If you want a show with bells and whistles and a lot of stage crap, along with recorded tracks, see Britney, Madonna, and those type of acts.
The Australians have not told us anything about Spears and the Circus tour that was not already pretty well publicized.
I believe the only one, and anyone can correct me if i’m wrong..i’m not a stan… the only one who dances and sings live at the same time is Beyonce
Well said, people be some stupid ass chumps paying to see some overpaid, entitled egomaniac lip synch a song that wasn’t even written by them.
Wake up people, save your fucking money or support REAL talent.
What do you mean, Australia? I’m pretty sure the best bits are live, like when she yells out “Merry Christmas!”
I think it’s a fair warning considering the number of stupid bogans (the Australian version of white trash) who are likely to bitch and complain and demand a refund.
Concert goers have walked out of her first concert in Perth. It doesn’t look good for Britney.
99% of popstars lip-sync. You can’t dance around on stage the way they do and still have the air in your lungs and diapragm support to sing very well.
Thinking a popstar doesn’t lip-sync during concerts is like thinking the outcomes of pro wrestling matches aren’t predetermined.
As an Australian, from what I have heard Judge is proposing that all concerts in NSW will disclose if artists are lipsyncing/miming or singing live. I think she is simply using Britney as an example of someone who obviously lipsyncs to start debate on the topic. Many artists lipsync, and this is just a step towards transparency.
Beyonce sings over a backing track. When she stands still for the more ballad-y songs, she’s singing live, she only sings bits and pieces of songs like Single Ladies and Diva etc.
Sigh, yes, everyone in Australia does already know that about Britney. *eyeroll*
Britney herself is not worth the cost. She’s not even a good dancer but relies on talented professional backup dancers and circus performers. I’m sure that will be very exciting for the tweens, but every inch of it could still be done completely without Britney.
Maybe they should consider that. Just hire a lookalike to dance as Britney for cheap.
Ooh! And franchise! Have an identical Britney concert going in every major city on the same night!
~
I don’t think it is common knowledge. I think people should be told of this, maybe even on the ticket.
It’s not really fair to real artists who work hard and take the RISK of being human in a live performance.
Everyone already knows that!
As far as I’m concerned, that’s why Michael Jackson wasn’t the greatest entertainer ever. His sister does the same thing.
We had tickets to the Rolling Stones a few years back and Mick cancelled because he had a sore throat and we saw him 3 weeks later.
He’s not that young anymore but man, can that dude ever entertain.
Mick moves around alot and he doesn’t lipsync. Now that’s performance!
Yes, I agree with the above poster. I am a Aussie too. Judge is using Britney as an example. Most concert tickets were sold way before Britneys arrival. Judge is wanting lipsyncing to be disclosed for future shows in Aus. Brits is just an example she gave.
It *should* be advertised, and printed on the ticket. “Everybody” does not know that she lip-sycs, as not everyone trolls the Internet like we do, and it’s hardly information that would appear on the Nightly News or in the NY Times.
Oh, and Broadway performers have to sing, dance, and sometimes do gymnastics all at the same time, eight times a week. Live.
the saddest part about her lipsynching (and that of Madonna and most of the current pop “singing” stars) is that they can’t sing well enough for their pre-recorded track to really be them – it’s all autotune and other studio magic (and they still don’t sound too good)
Britney is a great entertainer, the show has a circus theme with a lot of constant acrobatic movements ( I have been to the show twice) It is impossible to sing and flip backward or hang upside down and so , the sound tone would constantly wave or be uneven and unpleasant to the ear not as smooth. She is always on time, has been on this tour for one year without missing even one show or being late for any show. I love her and wish haters could find somebody else for target practice. Thank you very much.
Good point WTF?!?
No reason why popstars should get a free pass to lip-sync when stage performers have proved you CAN sing and dance at the same time.
Actually my trolling the internet was not where I was first made aware of Spears lip syncing. I first heard about it on E!, as well as I had heard it on the radio. I highly doubt that people who read the Wall Street Journal are lining up for Spears tickets either.
Also, anyone with half a brain knows she lip syncs. Seriously, people actually think she flips around on a trapeeze and bounces all around and sings that well? I mean who would believe that.
Firestarter: People who subscribe to the WSJ have daughters and friends of those daughters who want tickets, and chances are they’re too busy to watch E! and listen to gossip on the radio.
Those tickets are expensive, and musical preference ≠ complete knowledge of all things backstage. They’re using their “1/2 a brain” to earn a living and attend to their families.
It’s a part of fair trade laws here, and it suits me fine. Of course it’s common knowledge she lip syncs… but it sets a decent precedent for patrons and artists alike about full disclosure. I think people paying that much money for seats deserve at least that disclosure. It’s not a matter of common knowledge, it’s a matter of fairness for consumers.
I don’t mind that she mimes, as I don’t think she has the vocal power to sing and dance at the same time. Christina Aguilera sings live while she dances, but she’s got about ten times the vocal power and range of Brit.