Country music singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress confessed on social media to being drunk while singing the national anthem at the annual Home Run Derby this week.
Ms. Andress is a four-time Grammy nominee. Her songs include “More Hearts Than Mine,” ”Wishful Drinking,” We’re Not Friends,” and “Seeing Someone Else.”
Addiction experts responded with praise for her honesty and transparency, while fans were polarized on social media.
“Her initial communications to the world after rehab will be crucial to defining how that goes,” Austin Wynn, founder of Never Alone Recovery, told The Epoch Times on July 17. “If Ingrid can make her return with grace and humility, she could become more loved than before.”
Never Alone Recovery hosts a weekly online support meeting and facilitates interventions for families with loved ones who are struggling with addiction.
Ms. Andress did not disclose where she would pursue sober recovery and did not respond to requests for comment.
“I had to part ways with some people who’ve helped me make a name for myself,” she told fans in a newsletter before performing. “It sent me into what my country America calls ‘depression’ but I’m not a doctor.”
Brook Bardin, a licensed clinical social worker, speculated that Ms. Andress may have been referring to unhealthy relationships.
Ms. Bardin is the director of clinical quality assurance at Victory Starts Now, a treatment program in Los Angeles.
“If those people are your supports and they’re people you consider yourself close to, it’s a loss,” Ms. Bardin told The Epoch Times on July 17. “Just like any loss, you have that grieving process, and it can be tough. It can bring up past loss, and being a singer in the spotlight could be really difficult.”
Some fans on social media admonished the 32-year-old, while others were forgiving and empathetic.
“Sending lots of love and positivity,” wrote country music star Martina McBride on July 17. “You got this.”
One follower alleged the incident was staged for publicity purposes.
“This is the most brilliant marketing strategy in the history of music,” AeHonick wrote on July 16. “Well played.”
Others accused her of having no talent.
“You wasn’t drunk you just butchered it,” action_jaxson11 posted on July 16.
“Don’t stop drinking - stop singing,” wrote elizabethsboutique on July 17.
Ms. Andress apologized to Major League Baseball (MLB) and her fans. MLB is comprised of 30 National League and American League teams, largely in the United States and one in Canada.
“I‘ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun. xo, Ingrid,” Ms. Andress posted.
Ms. Bardin applauded the songwriter’s sense of humor about addiction treatment, which is typically a minimum of 30 days and involves group therapy, private therapy, journaling, as well as communal living and manual labor in some programs.
Ms. Andress also promoted her new single “Colorado.” She was raised in the Rocky Mountain state before beginning her music career writing songs in Nashville.
“Sometimes all it takes is a few hours in your hometown to remember who you actually are, and you start to be proud of the person you’ve become,” she posted on July 16. “I hope everyone has their own Colorado to go back to when they’re feeling lost.”Fame can be a drug that some performers get hooked on, and it can play an integral part in substance abuse, according to Mr. Wynn, who said that Ms. Andress may have visibility and image issues.
“When someone rises to fame, perceived expectation also rises,” Mr. Wynn added. “When this happens, someone struggling with low self-esteem might not adjust well to this expectation and may feel like an imposter or a failure. Those feelings of inadequacy then become something to cover up or seek escape from with substances or alcohol.”
