Carrie Underwood, Villagers and more

Topline

Carrie Underwood will perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration next week, and Village People — the band behind one of Trump’s favorite hits, “YMCA” — said they will perform at several events leading up to the inauguration, a departure from his 2017 inauguration struggled to attract high-profile artists.

Important facts

Why did these artists accept invitations to perform?

Both Underwood and Village People emphasized the need for unity in their statements about their upcoming performances. Underwood said she was “humbled to answer this call at a time when we all need to come together in a spirit of unity and with an eye to the future.” In a Facebook post, Village People admitted that the performances were not for all fans will be liked, but the group believes that “music should be performed without regard to politics.” The group admitted that their “dream candidate was lost” – founding member Victor Willis had previously said he supported Vice President Kamala Harris – but hoped their song “YMCA” can “bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided election campaign.”

What is Trump’s history with “ymca”?

Trump has used the Villagers’ “YMCA” at rallies during his 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns, prompting a mixed reaction from the group. Willis appeared to have changed his stance over the years, first calling on Trump to stop using the song in June 2020 after the then-president vowed to use military force to break up protests following the police killing of George Floyd. Three months later, a spokesman for the group said Willis would not sue him “simply out of spite” because he is not a “Trump hater.” In May 2023, Village People manager and Willis’ wife, Karen Willis, sent a cease-and-desist letter condemning a Mar-a-Lago performance of “YMCA” by performers dressed as Village People, claiming it falsely implied that that the band supported this Trump. In October 2024, Willis said he had previously spoken out against Trump’s use of the song, but changed his mind because the renewed attention had “greatly benefited” the song on the charts. During his rallies, Trump often performed the “Trump Dance” during the “YMCA,” a simple move in which he moved both fists back and forth to the music. The dance has been frequently imitated by professional athletes to celebrate victories, including San Francisco 49ers player Nick Bosa, a vocal Trump supporter, and US men’s soccer team captain Christian Pulisic, who claimed it was “not a political dance.”

Important background

Trump’s upcoming inauguration is expected to feature more stars than his first inauguration, where it was difficult to attract high-profile performers. Then-16-year-old Jackie Evancho, a runner-up on “America’s Got Talent” in 2010, sang the national anthem at Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Evancho later said her team pushed her to perform even though she had “a bad gut feeling.” She criticized Trump’s transgender rights policies and asked him on social media to meet with her and her transgender sister Juliet Evancho. Rock band 3 Doors Down and singer Toby Keith also performed at pre-inauguration events in 2017. Previous inauguration artists have included Lady Gaga, Garth Brooks and Jennifer Lopez at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, and Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson at former President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2013.

Further reading

Village People founder would ‘seriously consider’ performing ‘YMCA’ for Trump – after demanding he stop (Forbes)

These athletes – from the NFL, the UFC and US Soccer – celebrate the “Trump Dance” (Forbes)