The Village People have elevated their connection to Donald Trump by agreeing to perform at events during the president-elect's upcoming inauguration. The iconic group confirmed via Facebook on January 13th that they have accepted an invitation to “participate in inaugural activities, including at least one event with President Elect Trump.”
The band stated on Facebook, “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.” They further noted, “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” [sic]. According to reporting from The Hill, one performance is scheduled for Trump's “victory rally” at Capital One Arena in Washington on the inauguration's eve.
Throughout the 2020 and 2024 campaign seasons, Trump consistently featured both “Y.M.C.A.” and “Macho Man” at his rallies, sparking debate when founding member and songwriter Victor Willis challenged the notion that the former track was a “gay anthem.” This led to a public disagreement with the group's construction worker character David Hodo, who contested Willis' interpretation, resulting in an open debate about the song's connection to the LGBTQ+ community.
The inauguration lineup also includes Carrie Underwood. The former American Idol champion and current judge is set to deliver a rendition of “America the Beautiful” during the January 20th inauguration ceremony, which falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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English (US) ·