Lou Reed was not the reason Susan Boyle was unable to perform “Perfect Day" for "America’s Got Talent" on Wednesday night, reps for the rocker claimed to Access Hollywood on Thursday.
Reed's reps told Access on Thursday that despite reports, Reed did not turn down a request for Boyle to sing his classic song on the NBC talent competition stage. Reed’s reps said that due to a glitch, the song was not cleared for the American market in time for the show, something that had nothing to do with the former Velvet Underground member. The song had been cleared for use in Boyle's native United Kingdom, but not American television.
The reps added that “Perfect Day” was the only song the former “Britain’s Got Talent” runner-up had rehearsed and there was not enough time for her to prepare another song.
TMZ reported that Reed refused to allow the Scottish singer to perform the track on “AGT.” After learning the news, Boyle tearfully departed Los Angeles, according to the website. On Thursday, a source close to "AGT" told Access that TMZ's claim about the rocker was essentially true, contradicting the claims made by Reed’s reps.
Boyle's scrapped performance was originally supposed to be a part of the season finale of "AGT," which airs at 9 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 p.m. Wednesday of next week.
Boyle’s friend — “AGT” judge Piers Morgan — didn’t know the full details on Wednesday night when he spoke to Access Hollywood, but he said there were some difficulties with the track.
“I think there’s just some issue about the releasing of the Lou Reed song ‘Perfect Day,’” Morgan, one of the judges who helped discover Boyle, told Access backstage. “And ironically, it turned into an imperfect day.”
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Morgan told Access that Boyle not performing was due to “a contractual thing,” but didn’t elaborate beyond his initial comments.
Reps for Boyle issued a statement to Access on Thursday morning about the cancellation of her performance, which left many fans in the audience disappointed.
“Susan was due to perform a chosen song from her new album ‘The Gift’ on ‘America’s Got Talent’ in Los Angeles,” the statement to Access read. “It is with real disappointment and regret that she has been unable to do so due to unforeseen circumstances relating to the song.
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“Susan is very disappointed as she had been looking forward to it immensely. She is now on a plane heading back to London with a heavy heart,” the statement continued. “Susan really looks forward to being able to perform her new songs very soon.”
Like Boyle, Morgan too was disappointed that she couldn’t take the “AGT” stage.
“I’m really sad,” Morgan said. “I love Susan ... she’s OK.”