If there could ever have been the most convenient moment for the earth to open and swallow Loomis. It should have been while live on C-SPAN when she paused mid-performance while singing the National Anthem during the Oct. 23 Free and Equal Elections Presidential Debate amid the 2024 Presidential Election.
Loomis’ voice cracked as she attempted to reach the high note on “And the rockets’ red glare.”
“I f—ed it up, I f—ed it up,” she cursed, noticeably mortified during the vocal mishap. “Can I go back? Can I go back please?”
That’s when the cameraman informed her the broadcast was live. Loomis continued the singing, only to pause mid-song, again admitting, “I got too nervous.”
Since, Loomis, the Pacoima, Los Angeles native R&B singer, has gone viral with over 200 millions impressions and views.
Loomis Issues Apology: She Didn’t Know She Was Live
In the wake of the backlash, DJ WhoKidd welcomed Loomis to recount the singing debacle. During the interview at Sirius XM in Los Angeles, Loomis with WhoKidd went live on TikTok where they openly talked about music, life, and everything else in between. While live she also apologized to viewers.
Checking-In With BigBoy’s Neighborhood
In an LA Dodgers jersey and comfy pink Care Bear slippers, Loomis walked into LA’s Real 92.3. It wasn’t quite a week since she botched the Star Spangled Banner. Sitting across from BigBoy of Big Boy’s Neighborhood, following her Oct. 26 Instagram apology, she detailed the humiliating performance.
“When I started singing, I started on the perfect tone, and I was giving what needed to be given,” she told Big Boy. “And then … they were like ‘No, stop, it’s not live, yet.”
She detailed that the cameraman informed her the broadcast was live. Loomis continued the singing, only to pause mid-song, again admitting, “I got too nervous.”
Loomis also released a statement to Fox in which she emphasized that she reacted in the “raw and unfiltered way” when she cursed and didn’t mean to mess up, especially since her father, an Army veteran, was watching her performance.
TMZ caught up with Loomis on Oct. 25 to delve into the events that unfolded before the live debate on C-SPAN. Loomis also attributed her nerves to her vocal catastrophe. Dubbing it one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, the songstress also told Inside Edition that she didn’t mean to curse, but in her disarray and panic, the “F” bombs exploded.
Loomis: ‘I Promise I Can Sing’
“I promise I can sing,” she vowed to TMZ and Inside Edition.
“I’m taking this as a lesson learned, and I can’t wait to come back even stronger,” she shared in a heartfelt apology on Instagram.
The Overwhelming Support
But it wasn’t just DJ WhoKidd and DJ Noonie who welcomed Loomis with open arms. Legendary songwriter and 15-time Oscar nominee, Diane Warren, picked up the phone to check in on the songstress, according to an insider source.
“This usually ends careers,” Warren said with a laugh to Fr8qu8ncy. “This could start hers. Loomis and I have been collaborating for some time now. She really can sing and it’s time to get those records out.”
Variety reported, in August 2024, Warren was aiming for her 16th Academy Awards invitation this year with the track “The Journey” from Tyler Perry’s upcoming war drama, “The Six Triple Eight,” starring Kerry Washington.’
Using Her Voice To Encourage All Voters To Vote In The 2024 Election
Embracing the opportunity to address her audience, Loomis joined the ranks of celebrities like Selena Gomez and Kerry Washington, to encourage voters to vote. She teamed up with Fuse on the “Just F-ing Vote” campaign to encourage voters to vote in the 2024 election. She was also seen in ESPN ads during the election encouraging voters of the greater Northern Virginia region to vote.
Social Media Reactions and Comparisons to Fergie
The performance quickly went viral on social media, with many users criticizing Loomis’ rendition and comparing it to Fergie’s controversial performance of the National Anthem at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game.
Some users mocked the performance, while others offered constructive criticism or blamed the production team for technical difficulties that preceded the performance. Fergie later apologized, too.
Loomis Pops Up At The KDAY Morning Show
The KDAY Morning Show with Romeo in Los Angeles at 93.5 KDAY welcomed Loomis on Nov. 8 to talk about what’s happened since.
“Here’s the deal,” KDAY Morning Show host, Romeo said. “I didn’t know that was your first time [singing the National Anthem in public], so now I have more sympathy for you. That’s one of the hardest songs in the world to do.”
Loomis told Romeo, during her time at KDAY, she agreed to sing the National Anthem at the debate even though she was “scared.”
“I never turned down nothing I am scared of even if I am scared,” she shared with Romeo candidly.
Grammy award-winning producer, Nomad, also surprised Romeo and the KDAY team by popping up in support of Loomis.
Looking Ahead: SKANK Season
Despite the backlash, Loomis expressed a desire to learn from the experience and return stronger. Unexpectedly, on Oct. 30 on Instagram, Nomad, who recently made headlines for putting a new spin on Milli Vanilli’s ‘Blame It on the Rain’ With Help From Original Member Fab Morvan announced a collaboration with Loomis.
“I’m here to tell you, this girl can sing, sing, sing” he shared in a surprise Instagram story. “And I am going to prove it to the world.”
Nomad goes on to detail the musical collaboration between the duo on the soon-to-release single, SKANK. Teased to release the new single within a week, Nomad also shared in a different post he was headlining the Mayjah Rayjah on Nov. 15 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu with Loomis expected to make a surprise appearance. They were seen rehearsing for the performance on IG. Loomis also teased she’s hit the studio with Dionne Warwick, who was inducted into the 2024 Class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, for a women’s empowerment song.
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