Village People and Carrie Underwood to perform at Trump's inauguration events

After much speculation, the performers for Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday 20 January have been announced.

The 1970s hitmakers Village People will perform at two inaugural events while country music star Carrie Underwood will perform ‘America the Beautiful’ at the inauguration next week.

American disco group Village People made a name for themselves in the late-70s for their dance-pop hits and their colourful on-stage personas. Their best-known hit, ‘Y.M.C.A.’, is widely considered a gay anthem – despite what some members say - and became a staple of Trump’s rallies in the last election, along with their hit ‘Macho Man’.

Village People will 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.

“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.”

As for Underwood, she launched her career on American Idol and is to perform shortly before Trump takes the oath of office at the US Capitol on 20 January.

“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,” Underwood said in a statement. “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.”

Other inauguration ceremony performers will include two of the president-elect’s musical favorites, country singer Lee Greenwood and opera singer Christopher Macchio.

Well, at least we got one prediction right...  

Greenwood will perform as Trump walks out to take the oath, according to Trump's inaugural committee. Macchio is Trump's choice to perform the National Anthem at the end of the program.

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 D.C., 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.