President-elect Donald Trump secured some bigger names to perform at his inauguration this time around.
In 2017, Trump and his team struggled to book any significant musical acts but they’ve taken things up a notch, landing former “American Idol” winner and country music star Carrie Underwood for the Jan. 20 ceremony, singing “America the Beautiful.”
In a statement on Monday, Underwood said, “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. 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.”
Underwood has kept her political views quiet for years, stating in 2019, “I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins.”
Rounding out the entertainment portion of the event, Victor Willis, the surviving founding member of the Village People, agreed to perform their hit “Y.M.C.A.”
In the past, Willis has expressed appreciation for Trump’s use of the song at rallies, stating, “The financial benefits have been great,” but in a Facebook post on Monday, Willis said Vice President Kamala Harris was the group’s “preferred candidate” for the 2024 election.
“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,” Willis wrote. “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.”
Another singer, Christopher Macchio, will join the stage to sing the national anthem and “O America,” his manager confirmed to The Washington Post.
The artist is also set to perform during Saturday’s firework festivities and on Tuesday morning after the inauguration during a morning prayer service at Washington National Cathedral, his manager said.
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