John Mayer Can't Compete With King

09 July 2009

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John Mayer didn't sing at Michael Jackson's memorial because he isn't as talented as the late 'King of Pop'.

The 'Gravity' musician - who performed an instrumental version of Michael's hit 'Human Nature' at the ceremony at Los Angeles' Staples Center on Tuesday (07.07.09) - decided against tackling the vocals as he didn't want to be compared to Michael.

He said: "The decision not to sing cam from knowing what's best for me. I think it's a mine field to try in any way to replicate vocally what Michael Jackson has done. And in a way, it was sort of respectfully leaving an absence, you know, sort of the presence of his absence."

The decision not to sing cam from knowing what's best for me

John, 31, was amazed to be asked to attend the memorial - which also saw performances from Mariah Carey, Usher and Michael's brother Jermaine Jackson - as he had never met the 'Billie Jean' singer.

He explained: "The first thing I said was a question, 'Does this really come from the family?' I think that was essential to me to be able to process the honor. It took me about 48 hours to strike the balance in how I was going to approach being invited to this unbelievable event without actually having the proximity to Michael Jackson, personally. I'd never met him."

Michael died of a suspected cardiac arrest last month aged 50.

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