A few days before the inauguration of the future US President Donald Trump, the names of prominent guests who will appear during the celebrations in the US capital are becoming known. According to media reports, well-known country singer Carrie Underwood will sing during the ceremony at the Capitol.
The once legendary disco group Village People has also announced that they will, among other things, provide musical accompaniment to an event on the eve of the inauguration. This is organized by the right-wing conservative organization Turning Point Action, which supported Trump extensively during the election campaign.
“We know some of you won’t like to hear this, but we believe music should be played without any connection to politics,” lead singer Victor Willis said on Facebook. “Our song “YMCA” is a global anthem that will hopefully help bring the country back together after a turbulent and divided election campaign (…).”
Unofficial LGBTQ+ anthem for the Trump campaign
The Village People, who no longer perform in their original 1970s lineup, have a mixed relationship with Trump: During his election campaign, the Republican used their world-famous disco hit “YMCA” and the song “Macho Man” (both from the Year 1978) as a mood maker at almost every event. Initially, the band expressed their displeasure that their songs were being played without permission and in a political context. However, they later distanced themselves from direct criticism.
“YMCA” is often referred to as an unofficial LGBTQ+ anthem, although lead singer Willis has denied this in the past. The Republican Party is campaigning massively against the rights of trans people.
Underwood sings “America the Beautiful”
US media had previously reported, citing Trump’s team, that country singer Underwood (“Before He Cheats”) would perform the song “America the Beautiful” at the inauguration. The 41-year-old, who won the fourth season of the talent show “American Idol” (the US model for “Germany is looking for the superstar”) in 2005, is now one of the most famous country musicians in the USA.
Little celebrity glitz at the 2017 inauguration
In the past, Underwood has rarely spoken out on political issues and has refrained from publicly supporting political candidates. At Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, the star line-up was limited. The national anthem was sung by singer Jackie Evancho, who became famous on the talent show “America’s Got Talent”. At the inauguration of US President Joe Biden in 2021, celebrities took part in the ceremony – megastars Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, for example, appeared.
Many stars supported Democrats in the election campaign
With Underwood, Trump has now secured a relatively high-profile star guest for his inauguration. The Republican has had problems in the past finding support in the show industry, which is considered to be liberal. Rock rapper Kid Rock performed at the Republican Party Convention in Milwaukee last summer. His Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, on the other hand, was able to enjoy a lot of celebrity support during the election campaign – for example, Beyoncé and Pink appeared at the Democrat’s events. Superstar Taylor Swift also supported Harris, but did not perform for her.