Jennifer Holliday to sing at Trump’s inauguration ‘for the people’
Donald Trump’s inauguration spokesman, Boris Epshteyn, announced on Friday that Jennifer Holliday would be performing at the inauguration.
Jennifer Holliday has confirmed that she will be singing at the president inauguration of Donald J. Trump, after a rep for the singer previously said that she had not committed to the engagement.
Trump’s inauguration spokesman, Boris Epshteyn, announced Friday on Twitter that Holliday would be performing at the inauguration.
“Can’t wait for @TobyKeithMusic, @LadyJHOLLIDAY, @3doorsdown, etc. and remarks from @realDonaldTrump at the #MAGA Welcome Celebration!” Epshteyn tweeted, prompting a massive wave of backlash from fans who couldn’t believe she would agree to the performance.
In an interview with The New York Times, Holliday said that she is indeed scheduled to perform despite the controversy around the president-elect and many entertainers refusing to participate because of political differences and/or potential backlash from the public.
“I’m singing on the mall for the people,” Holliday said. “I don’t have a dog in this fight — I’m just a singer, and it’s a welcome concert for the people on the mall.”
Holliday also made it clear that she did not vote for Trump, saying, “I voted for Mrs. Clinton, and they knew that.”
She added: “If someone wants me to sing a national anthem or something, we think about America, and we go.”
The original Dreamgirls star said she was stunned by some of the backlash she received after news broke of her involvement in the inauguration.
“It brought a lot of threats from people already saying I’ll never work again,” she said. “If that’s what America has come to, where we all hate and bully people, there’s no more freedom of speech.”
She added, “I know everybody hates me now, but that shows we are all just hateful people now — we don’t even want to work together.
“If it’s the end of everything for me, then it has to be the end of everything for me. I would hope that’s not how it ends up, but right now I would like to be a part of a welcoming part of America. If we’re only going to let Trump be the face of America, I say let’s not let him be the only face of America — someone else could stand and show a light of love or hope or forgiveness.”
Holliday said her goal in performing is to support America.
“Are we saying that if there is anything that could be done for America in four or eight years or however long Trump is there, we’re not supposed to participate or help anybody?” she asked.
“Shouldn’t we all be praying for the success of America? I would like to sing some hope and have my voice not be associated with some kind of label, but I guess that’s where we are now.”
