Carrie Underwood, Village People to hit the stage at Trump’s inauguration

Country music star Carrie Underwood will perform “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration next week and the 1970s hitmakers Village People will perform at two inaugural events.
Underwood, who launched her career on “American Idol”, is to perform shortly before Trump takes the oath of office at the US Capitol on Jan. 20, according to a copy of the inaugural program provided to The Associated Press on Monday.
“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement Monday. “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.” American disco group the Village People made a name for themselves in the late-70s for their chant-along dance-pop hits and their colourful on-stage personas. Their best known hit, “Y.M.C.A.”, is widely considered a gay anthem — and became a staple of Trump’s rallies in the last election, along with their hit “Macho Man”.
The American disco group is set to perform at one of Trump’s inaugural balls and a rally he’s holding in Washington the day before he’s sworn in.
“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,” the band said in a post on its Facebook page Monday. “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 which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE will be performing at various events as part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump.” Other inauguration ceremony performers will include two of the president-elect’s musical favourites, country singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio.
The pomp and spectacle that comes with the inauguration of a new president kicks off this weekend in Washington with a fireworks show at Trump’s golf club in Sterling, Virginia, a campaign-style rally in DC, a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and glitzy dinners before the former president takes the oath to become the next president.
Trump’s second inauguration is expected to be a much different affair than the last time America got a new president. Trump, who refused to accept his 2020 loss, did not attend Democratic President Joe Biden’s swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol, where there were still visible reminders of the violent January 6, 2021 siege on the building by Trump’s supporters. (AP)