Ingrid Andress revealed how she is moving on from the drunken national anthem performance that landed her in rehab eight months ago.
The singer, 33, shared that she is learning self-compassion, after realizing in therapy that her strict Christian upbringing led her to think that making mistakes meant ‘I had failed as a human being’ in a new interview with People.
‘Resilience is probably one of the best superpowers I’ve been granted,’ she added. Andress embraces a ‘one day at a time’ approach to her alcohol-free life, guided by the 12-step program.
The star admitted she is now attending therapy ‘once a week’, adding, ‘We’re keeping it moving.’
Ingrid, who said she’ll ‘never’ sing the national anthem again, avoids blaming alcohol, stating, ‘You have to take ownership of the fact that you’re still choosing to do that to yourself.’
‘So, to me, I don’t want to give that kind of power to anything. At the core of everyone’s substance abuse is a human struggle.’
Ingrid Andress, 33, felt she ‘failed as a human being’ after her drunken national anthem performance that landed her in rehab; pictured in 2022
It comes eight months after she stumbled through the national anthem before MLB’s Home Run Derby on live television (pictured). Andress said she was ‘drunk’ during the performance and she checked herself into rehab following the incident
It comes eight months after she stumbled through the national anthem before MLB’s Home Run Derby on live television – a moment she now calls ‘my worst nightmare come true.’
Last July, the country star sang the Star-Spangled Banner with slurred words and her pitch all over the place. Andress said she was ‘drunk’ during the performance and she checked herself into rehab following the incident.
This month, she made her return to the stage on Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, revealing she was ‘nervous.’
She also achieved a redemptive moment with her February performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Denver Avalanche hockey game.
‘I’m never performing that song again — ever,’ Andress said in her latest interview.
In April, Andress will perform two shows in her home state of Colorado, following the recent release of her single, Footprints.
‘I wanted to do some Colorado shows for my fans, just to ease back in,’ she told People.
‘I didn’t want to do like, “We’re back, baby!” and pretend nothing’s changed. No, let’s start small and see how we feel.’
The star now embraces a ‘one day at a time’ approach to her alcohol-free life, guided by the 12-step program. She also shared in a new interview with People that she is attending therapy ‘once a week’; seen in 2023
The singer said that she is learning self-compassion, after realizing in therapy that her strict Christian upbringing led her to being self-critical; seen in 2023
She avoids blaming alcohol, stating, ‘You have to take ownership of the fact that you’re still choosing to do that to yourself’; seen in 2020
Andress admitted to heavily drinking for three months before her infamous national anthem; seen in 2021
Andress shared that she is now prioritizing healthy habits — including tennis and yoga — understanding alcohol’s negative impact, and learning to process her emotions.
‘Hydration and sleep and activity do wonders. And cross-stitching … It’s very therapeutic.’
Though in her moments of doubt she considered abandoning the stage and becoming exclusively a songwriter, she eventually changed her mind.
‘But then I remember how I got into being an artist, and I’d probably just repeat the same thing, writing more personal songs that are more my story, and then I would not want other people to sing them. And then we’d be back to where we are now!’
Andress chose Footprints as her single because its meaning shifted to a message of resilience after personal struggles.
‘It felt more meaningful for me to release it now when I feel like, “Hey, you can royally f**k up and still keep going.’
After taking several months to focus on herself, Andress finally commented on the situation and what led up to her being intoxicated at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, earlier this month.
‘It only took, you know, global humiliation for me to be like “this is a problem,”‘ Andress said on The Viall Files. ‘I was so gone that afterward, I thought that I like, kind of nailed it.’
Andress recalled taking the field ‘not caring’ about how her performance would go and it was not until the next morning when she sobered up and realized what had transpired.
In April, Andress will perform two shows in her home state of Colorado, following the recent release of her single, Footprints; seen in 2023
‘I was like, “Okay, this is so unlike me, like, this is not okay,'” Andress said.
Andress admitted to heavily drinking for three months before her infamous national anthem.
In the lead-up, her sister moved out of her house, Andress spilt with her first manager, and she broke up with her ‘very serious’ boyfriend around the same time.
‘I didn’t realize how much I didn’t let myself process those emotions of grief,’ Andress said.
The day after Andress’ drunk anthem, she posted a social-media statement, without checking with her management, stating she was going to rehab.
‘I’m not gonna b******t y’all, I was drunk last night,’ Andress’ statement read. ‘I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition. I’ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun.’
