Back in 2017, Donald Trump struggled to find any big names to perform at his inauguration, and his team was reportedly rebuffed by stars including Elton John, Garth Brooks, and Celine Dion. For round two, Trump’s outreach has been slightly more successful, and in addition to his regular group of favorites, the affairs will include one previously apolitical pop country star.
On Monday, in a statement to the Daily Beast, Carrie Underwood said that her choice to sing at the inauguration was driven by the desire for national unity. “I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” she said. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
The president-elect’s transition team told the Daily Beast that the country star will sing “America the Beautiful.” She will be accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
In 2019, the American Idol alum told The Guardian that she wanted to avoid publicly discussing her politics. “I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” she said, adding that she felt frustrated when certain songs were interpreted as political statements. “It’s crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”
Underwood will be joined onstage by classical singer Christopher D. Macchio, who sang opera standard “Nessun Dorma” during the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. According to the AP, Trump favorites Lee Greenwood and the Village People will also perform at the inauguration ceremony.
The Village People explained their decision to perform in a statement on their official Facebook page. “We know this won’t make some of you happy to hear, however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics,” it read. “Our song ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost. Therefore, we believe it’s now time to bring the country together with music.”
