Young Singer Overcomes ‘Worst National Anthem Ever’ to Sign Talent Contract
Nancy Churnin
Dallas Morning News
August 15, 2013
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I wish every kid who has been bullied could be vaccinated with the strength that Harper Gruzins has.
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Harper had just turned 11 when she endured a barrage of hateful criticism after she sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” off-key at an FC Dallas game in Frisco last July 28. The performance, which she thought would be heard by local fans, crashed into a perfect storm of publicity when the game, which featured soccer star David Beckham, sold out and was televised on NBC during the Olympics.
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It took three minutes for the little girl who loved to sing to muddle her way through the unfamiliar sound monitor and delay echo effects and get the song on track.
Walking off the stage at a Major League Soccer game last year, 11-year-old singer/songwriter Harper Gruzins never expected to experience the amount of cyber-bullying she received for her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
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The day after the game, her video on YouTube had already gone viral, receiving more than 1 million views, along with hundreds of nasty comments one wouldn’t wish on their worst enemy. She fought back tears over how critics labeled her rendition as the “worst national anthem ever.”
Young Anthem Singer Bounces Back From Off-Key Performance
Robbie Owens
CBS 11
August 16, 2012
At the ripe old age of 11, Harper Gruzins of Coppell is learning that fame, can be fickle. Gruzins is the pint-sized aspiring singer/songwriter vilified on social media sites for a not-so-perfect rendition of the National Anthem. It happened before an FC Dallas soccer game last month.
“I started on the wrong key,” says Harper. She says she didn’t realize how bad it was until she watched the videotaped performance later. “I was like, oh, that’s not my best performance.”
But, the online response from adults? Contemptible, say her parents. continue reading . . .
Christina Aguilera Sends Words Of Encouragement For Bullied Singer
.. 103.7 KVIL
August 16, 2012
Harper Gruzins, 11, has been through a lot since she stood up in front of thousands of people at an FC Dallas game to sing the National Anthem. The song did not go well. And when the video got out on the internet the reaction wasn’t too kind.
People on the posts have been quite rude to the 11-year-old in the comments of the video. Some people actually calling for harm to be done to her. continue reading . . .
Interview on The Gene & Julie Show
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103.7 KVIL
August 16, 2012
Interview on 104.3 KZLT
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104.3 KZLT
August 3, 2012
11-Year-Old Singer Explains ‘Worst National Anthem’ Rendition
Suzan Clarke
ABC News
July 31, 2012
Eleven-year-old Harper Gruzins practiced “The Star-Spangled Banner” for weeks, but spectators showed little appreciation when she performed it Saturday at a Major League Soccer game in Dallas.
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About 22,000 fans inside the stadium offered some polite applause, and a few boos, but the reaction online has been swift and harsh.
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The blog Deadspin called it “the worst national anthem rendition ever,” and people on Twitter weren’t any kinder. Some Tweets characterized her performance as “tragic,” while another said it was worse than that of Roseanne Barr’s, who sang the anthem off-key at a baseball game in 1990, then grabbed her crotch and spat.
Harper Gruzins Music 