Catch Billy Ray Cyrus’ Troubling Performance and the Inauguration Chaos: ‘Is Anyone Paying Attention?’

Performance Highlights

Billy Ray Cyrus took the stage at Donald Trump's inauguration yesterday (January 20), but his performance was anything but smooth. Check out the footage and fan reactions below.

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The 63-year-old country artist performed at the Liberty Ball in Washington, D.C., but faced numerous challenges during his set. Despite being one of the musical acts prepared for the presidential inauguration, technical issues marred the evening.

Technical Difficulties

Initially, the president’s speech was delayed, which pushed Cyrus’ performance back. When he finally took the stage, he encountered significant technical glitches that disrupted much of his show, causing him to communicate with the crew about difficulties hearing his guitar.

The set began with “Old Town Road,” a 2018 hit that featured Cyrus. However, Lil Nas X was not present, and due to poor lighting, Cyrus was hardly visible, with the music video behind him making his vocals nearly inaudible.

Here's the full video of Billy Ray Cyrus' “performance” at the Liberty Ball this evening. pic.twitter.com/sSkhjZDTtL

— 🐸 Pepe – save the children (@girl_roadrunner) January 21, 2025

Cyrus expressed his frustrations on stage, asking whether anyone could hear him and even suggested he might end the performance early if the audience was uninterested.

Billy Ray Cyrus' performance at Trump's inauguration is the perfect metaphor for the next 4 years. pic.twitter.com/JYVCpD75y1

— Dave Ryder 🌊💙🌎❄🏳️‍🌈 (@daveryder) January 21, 2025

Eventually, after his crew managed to fix the sound issue, Cyrus made light of the situation, quipping, “When you have technical difficulties, you just have to keep going.” Social media users reacted swiftly, expressing their disapproval of his performance, raising concerns about his voice, and even commenting on his appearance.

My God! Billy Ray Cyrus's performance at Donald Trump's first Freedom Ball was an epic disaster. – Is anyone awake? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/LQRNXdE2sq

— Art Candee 🍿🥤 (@ArtCandee) January 21, 2025

Critics were vocal, with comments ranging from disappointment to humor. One viewer remarked, “Who signed Billy Ray Cyrus' performance tonight? They should be fired immediately. This is terrible,” while another observed, “Just when you think the day is over, Billy Ray Cyrus happens.”

Mixed Reactions and Comparisons

Amid the mixed reviews, many joked about his appearance, drawing comparisons to characters like Rob Zombie and Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. As Cyrus continued, others noted his demeanor, directly referencing his apparent struggles on stage.

Damn it, I'm running 🤣🤣🤣 Billy Ray Cyrus appears to have smoked a mountain of crack, knocked off about 15 Bush lights, and had perhaps the scariest few minutes in entertainment history😳 pic.twitter.com/WuJdydenQ0

— ℝBRYES (@MisterBryteSide) January 21, 2025

Despite the chaos, Donald Trump's inauguration featured other artists like Snoop Dogg, Soulja Boy, and Carrie Underwood, who also faced technical issues during her performance.