Beyonce at the presidential inauguration 2013 (Tumblr)

Just one day after being praised for her stunning rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner” to close the presidential inauguration ceremonies, reports that she lip synched through the song have millions of Americans feeling duped, outraged and betrayed.

Her performance blew America away, with flawless riffs and a dramatic earpiece removal that was nothing short of the flair that one thinks of when Beyonce comes to mind. However, now there are numerous reports that the entire performance was all just one big show, and Beyonce was not actually singing live; the band and Beyoncé apparently bluffed their way through a prerecorded version instead.

First, Master Sgt. Kristin duBois, a rep for the U.S. Marine band told The New York Post that the band played in every other song of the inaugural ceremonies, including James Taylor and Kelly Clarkson, except for Beyonce’s national anthem. “We performed, live, the band. But we received last-minute word that Beyonce was going to use the pre-recorded vocal track. Those were the instructions we were given. We don’t know the reason why.” She also stated that, “All music is pre-recorded for the ceremony because there are so many eventualities and conditions that day,”

However, the U.S. Marine Corps later issued another statement, confirming that the band was faking, but backed off of its initial claims against Beyonce’s singing in order to muzzle controversy against the pop star. Capt. Gregory Wolf said via email that "Each piece of music scheduled for performance in the Inauguration is pre-recorded for use in case of freezing temperatures, equipment failure, or extenuating circumstances," Motz said in a statement. "Regarding Ms. Knowles-Carter's vocal performance, no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether it was live or pre-recorded."

Beyonce’s reps have yet to comment, but one man familiar with the music industry explained that the use of a recording at big events is pretty common for singers. “It’s not a big deal, inside the music industry or out,” said Joe Levy, editor of Billboard magazine. “It is a common practice in high-profile settings where it is impossible to hear yourself. There are times when you want it to be perfect, and a presidential inauguration ranks as one of those. It’s got nothing to do with your ability to sing or not. Nobody questions [Beyoncé’s] ability to sing. ”

I think that we can all agree that pre-recorded or not, Beyonce’s rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" was wonderful regardless, and I guess we will just have to wait and see if she will sing live at her next big event, headlining the Superbowl Halftime Show on February 3rd.

Here is Beyonce's inauguration performance:

Reach Staff Reporter Vanessa Wilkins here.