Patti LaBelle Has Lyric Mishap During Tina Turner Song at BET Awards

Patti LaBelle sang the praises of the late Tina Turner at the 2023 BET Awards.

One month after the music icon’s passing, LaBelle honored the beloved singer by belting out a rendition of her 1989 hit song, “The Best” during the award ceremony.

But as the song moved along, LaBelle, 79, made it clear that she was experiencing issues with reading the lyrics from the teleprompter, singing to the crowd during an improvised moment, “I can’t see the words, I don’t know. I’m trying y’all.”

However, LaBelle was able to jump back into the melody, singing out the chorus alongside her background singers and completing her tribute.

After her performance, a BET spokesperson shared a statement about the onstage hiccup, telling The Hollywood Reporter that it was “an extraordinary privilege to celebrate the life and legacy of Ms. Tina Turner.”

“Having the incomparable Ms. Patti LaBelle on our stage honoring one of her contemporaries was an equal privilege,” the statement continued. “Due to the crowd’s enthusiasm, the teleprompter was obstructed, obscuring Ms. LaBelle’s view of the lyrics. Nonetheless, we couldn’t be more grateful to Ms. LaBelle for lending her incredible talent to this moment.”