Michael Tran/FilmMagicRachel Platten needed her own fight song on Sunday when she faced an unexpected challenge: finishing the National Anthem.
While performing the signature song at the Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah on Sunday ahead of a soccer game between the Utah Royals and the Chicago Red Stars, Platten found herself fumbling over her words.
As she kicked off the Star-Spangled Banner a capella, Platten quickly stumbled and said the wrong words for the first verse, prompting her to start over again. She ran into the same problem once more, but with some help and encouragement from fans in the stands, she powered through.
Two days later, the star is "having a hard time" forgiving herself. "It was incredibly, incredibly embarrassing," she told People. "I was so nervous going into it. The anthem is such a big deal; it's probably the most important song for our country. I always get nervous because it means so much because it is so powerful. I always want to do it justice, do a good job and give people the exact version they expect and they want."
The star was apologetic on social media, later tweeting, "Still feeling so embarrassed about this. I'm so sorry to everyone - once again."
While she told the magazine her mind initially went "blank," she ultimately was able to overcome her nerves and remember the rest of the words despite wanting to run right out of the stadium.
"I was proud that I was able to finish," she continued to People. "I actually can't believe I didn't forget more words and that I was able to complete the song."
However, Platten's work was not done. Later on after her National Anthem performance, she was slated to serenade the crowd with a concert. "I was really terrified to go back out, but the crowd was so kind. It was just so much love that I didn't even know if I deserved at the moment," she told the magazine. "So my takeaway was, 'God, people could be really kind even when I'm not willing to give that to myself.'"
Moving forward, the songstress is planning to use this experience to drive home the point that no one is perfect. Fortunately, the American Music Award nominee is willing to give it another go at a future game.
"My husband was so sweet, saying, 'Rach you know people mess up all the time in their jobs. And no one really cares. Unfortunately, your job is in front of 18,000 people and they care,'" she told the magazine. "It's a little hard to forgive myself but I'm working on it."