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Black Eyed Peas respond to criticism of AFL Grand Final performance

BEP frontman will.i.am created global headlines after checking his phone mid-song while performing at the AFL Grand Final.

Jai BednallJai Bednall
@jaibednall
3 min read
September 30, 2018 - 11:25AM
Where is the love, Australia? Picture. Phil Hillyard
Where is the love, Australia? Picture. Phil Hillyard

NO Australia, Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am wasn’t ordering an Uber out of the MCG midway through his performance at the AFL Grand Final.

He wasn’t checking Instagram either or texting Fergie to say he missed her.

The famous performer has revealed he was simply trying to showcase the greatest stage in Aussie sport to the world.

The frontman was criticised for whipping out his mobile phone halfway through a song on Saturday. But he explained what was happening in a series of posts on Twitter.

“Sharing on socials isn’t checking phone mid song,” he wrote “That’s me being a performer & camera man showing the world how Awesome Australia is ... I wanted the world to see Australia from my point of view ... & that POV is awesome & lovely ... sorry if I offended anyone by sharing my love.

“I had a blast with my friends ... we have new memories and I’m honoured to have played the #aflfinals2018.

“Fact is: being on the phone during a performance isn’t worse than what’s actually happening in the world ...”

Singer will.i.am (right) holds his phone as he performs before the 2018 AFL Grand Final. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Singer will.i.am (right) holds his phone as he performs before the 2018 AFL Grand Final. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Fans who weren’t aware singer Fergie left the group last year were miffed when she didn’t appear.

In what shouldn’t have been a major surprise but appeared to be given the reaction on social media, the American group, which also consists of rappers apl.de.ap and Taboo, performed without their former vocalist.

Will.i.am responded strongly to suggestions the group wasn’t the same these days.

“We are always changing and morphing and growing and learning and expanding and transforming ... why does anyone want to stay the same??? If you remain the same you never grow,” he tweeted.

“We started The Black Eyed Peas in 1995 & we met Fergie in 2002 and she joined our family in 2003 ... it’s hard for us to sit at home and not make music, when we know & remember our origins and love for music.

“We love Fergie ... but if you were a true black eyed peas fan. I mean true @BEP fan then you would know @bep’s history. you would know our mission & purpose...the world is divided & we are supposed to connect it...we are just trying to spread love in the world when hate is popular.”

The trio received mixed reviews for a performance that included hits Let’s Get It Started, Big Love, Where Is The Love? and I Gotta Feeling.

But it was the absence of 43-year-old Fergie which caused the biggest stir as relatively unknown replacement Jessica Reynoso filled her shoes.

Reynoso is a former finalist on “The Voice of the Philippines” and had a starring role in the band’s comeback video for “Ring The Alarm”.

However, confusion still reigns with no confirmation whether Reynoso is a full-time replacement for Fergie or just a fill in.

Fergie left the band in 2017 to pursue a solo career after switching from record company Interscope records and signing with BMG.

Her intention was to release a follow up to her 2006 album The Dutchess, but that may have hit a slight speed bump after her less than impressive performance at the NBA All-Star game.

Her performance had the crowd trying their best to contain their laughter with even NBA star’s struggling to deal with the rendition.

On Saturday, there did appear to be some audio issues with scratchy sound broadcast on Channel 7 but there was a pretty even balance of positive and negative reaction on Twitter.

Thankfully Aussie rock legend Jimmy Barnes followed to huge applause, kickstarting his performance with Flame Trees.

While his performance also divided opinions, the feedback for the icon was more in the positive camp than what it was for the headline act.

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Originally published as Black Eyed Peas respond to criticism of AFL Grand Final performance

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/australia-reacts-to-black-eyed-peas-afl-grand-final-entertainment/news-story/498a3e35f624798eae1afae142d9aa29