FANFAQ: Are Artists Lip-Syncing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Let's take a look at how parade performances actually work behind the scenes.
This year marks the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a star-studded holiday celebration watched by millions across the country. The 2025 parade features performances by Cynthia Erivo, Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Lil Jon, Lainey Wilson and many more.
But every year, without fail, fans rush online to question things after catching an artist’s mouth slightly out of sync with the audio.
Are artists lip-syncing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Yes. Most artists on moving floats are singing along to pre-recorded tracks.
But there’s a very real technical reason behind it, and it’s not a sign of anyone’s vocal ability or lack thereof.
In fact, this isn’t even a secret. In 2018, when a broadcast glitch made lip-syncing moments much more obvious, artists themselves explained the issue.
“Fun fact. We all have to lip sync on this parade because the floats don’t have the capacity to handle the sound requirements for a live performance,” John Legend said in a post on Twitter. “Hope y’all enjoyed it anyway. Know that if you come to my shows, the vocals are 100% live!”
Rita Ora, who also dealt with online backlash that day, added that having to lip-sync was “annoying,” but told fans to come see her in concert where she also performs “100 percent live.”
Fergie also chimed in, sharing a clip of her 1999 parade performance with Wild Orchid and joking, “why do u think i was so excited to hit these extra facials & choreo?!?!”
The fan reactions to lip-syncing that year were so bad that Macy’s addressed them, issuing a statement that explained that the technical issues were “out of the artist’s control.”
So why exactly can’t most artists sing live at the parade?
Performing live on a float can come with many difficulties. The first issue is that most floats can’t support real live sound. Moving floats simply don’t have the stable audio equipment or systems needed for a broadcast-quality performance in a high-frequency and noisy area like NYC. It’s easiest to think of floats less like a typical concert stage, and more like a rolling set piece.
The weather is another major factor, as it can be unpredictable, and NYC is often freezing in November. Vocal cords can tighten in low temperatures, making it difficult for singers to safely perform at their normal range. This year, temperatures will be in the low-40s during the entirety of the parade.
Lip-syncing also keeps the entire production on schedule. With every float, balloon, host segment, marching band and commercial break timed to the second, pre-recorded vocals ensure the broadcast stays consistent and in-sync for viewers at home. And of course, artists are also performing for all of the people in-person along the 2.5 mile route, so they aren’t singing the entire time and instead entertaining in other ways.
With all this being said, it’s important to note that not every performance is pre-recorded. Marching bands play their instruments live throughout the route. Plus, artists on stationary stages and many Broadway casts do sing live when the setup allows for stable audio.
For example, in 2018, the year where many artists faced backlash for obvious lip-syncing, Kelly Clarkson confirmed that her Herald Square performance was fully live — despite the freezing temperatures.
“Umm, I don’t know if y’all know this, but that was live! Brynn Cartelli, thank you—singing in this cold weather with me. It’s so cold in New York,” she said on Instagram.
But in general, if an artist is on a float, they’re likely not singing live, and that’s intentional.
Fans often treat lip-syncing as dishonesty or a sign the artist isn’t talented. But it happens every year at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and it’s just a normal part of the production. So if you’re watching at home and you catch an artist that seems to be “singing” a half-second behind their audio, just treat it like a quirky element of the show and maybe watch a video from one of their concerts instead if you want to hear what they can really do.
FANFAQ is a recurring column from Fangirl Forward that demystifies the entertainment industry for fans. Got something you’ve always wondered about? Send us your question here.