Kristian Bush Says Sugarland Never Lip-Synced: ‘We’d Rather Suck’
Sugarland have performed on all of the biggest awards shows over the years, but according to Kristian Bush, they have never resorted to lip-syncing when they weren't feeling up to it.
Bush was in Dallas during the run-up to the 2015 ACM Awards, and he told Taste of Country that he could sympathize with Garth Brooks' statement that he might have to lip sync his performance after a multi-night run of back-to-back shows. Brooks provided one of the high points of the broadcast on Sunday (April 19) with a powerful rendition of "All-American Kid." It's unclear whether his performance was completely live.
"In Sugarland we would always make our choices based on what we knew we were gonna have to do," Bush says. "But we were also the band that always plays live. We'd rather suck!" he adds with a laugh.
Still, he acknowledges how an off performance on a live television broadcast can have major consequences for an act. "It is tricky," Bush admits. "There's a lot at risk, especially if you're a new artist. People have no idea, and if you're terrible, well then they'll just write you off, and you're done."
Bush is currently taking time away from Sugarland to focus on his new solo album, Southern Gravity. The album's next single will be "Light Me Up," which is due in the next couple of weeks.
"It really is interesting for me to be writing a love song finally, from a man to a woman," he reflects. "You know, I've been writing songs to be sung by a woman for 10 years. So 'Light Me Up' is my love song to celebrate what it feels like to be loved by a woman. There are a lot of loves in my life, but mostly my 9-year-old daughter."
Kristian Bush Sings His Entire Southern Gravity Album