Y.M.C.A and God Bless the USA: Trump’s Inauguration Weekend Set to Feature Iconic Performers.

Article by Darcy Byrne, Senior Transition Producer

WASHINGTON - The setlist for Trump’s inauguration weekend has a lineup of icons, with stars like Carrie Underwood and The Village People confirmed to perform at the upcoming events.

Underwood is set to sing “America the Beautiful” during the inauguration ceremony, accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club. 

In a statement about her decision to perform, Underwood said, “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.” She continued, “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.” 

Underwood never publicly endorsed a candidate ahead of the November election and has stated in the past that she tries to avoid involvement in politics. In 2019 she told The Guardian, “I try to stay far out of politics, if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins. It's crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it like it's black and white. And it's not like that.”

Unlike Underwood, the musical group Village People, best known for their timeless hit “Y.M.C.A,” did imply a lack of support for the Trump administration. Victor Willis, lead singer of the group, took to Facebook to write, “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.”

Their hits “Y.M.C.A. and “Macho Man” have become staple songs at Trump’s rallies. However, the disco group didn’t always approve of their songs’ use. In 2023, after a tribute band performed at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, Willis and his wife, who manages the band, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s lawyer. The letter stated that the tribute band violated Village People’s federal trademark, and caused confusion among fans who thought the performers were the real Village People. Willis had previously taken to Facebook in 2020 to urge Trump’s campaign team to stop using the Village People’s songs at rallies.

However, as of December 2024, Willis said that he changed his mind about the use of the band’s songs. The group will perform their iconic tunes at both the “MAGA Victory” rally at the Capital One Arena on Sunday, and the Liberty Inaugural Ball, one of the three official Inaugural Balls, aimed at Trump’s supporters. 

Although performers like Underwood and the Village People have never shown public support for Trump, many of the other scheduled singers have.

Country singer Lee Greenwood has cited Trump as a friend of his and his wife for many years. He is set to perform “God Bless the USA” as Trump walks out to take the Oath of Office. He will also be featured at the victory rally the night before. Greenwood had previously performed at Trump’s 2017 inauguration and last summer’s Republican National Convention. 

Opera singer Christopher Macchio, another open Trump supporter, is scheduled to perform before Vice President-elect J.D. Vance takes his oath and close the swearing-in ceremony with the National Anthem. Macchio has also sung at past Trump events, including his infamous Madison Square Garden rally.

Vocal Trump supporters Kid Rock and Billy Ray Cyrus will join the Village People and Greenwood at the January 19th victory rally. Country singer Jason Alden, who introduced the president-elect at a campaign rally in Georgia, will be featured at the Liberty Inaugural Ball. The other official Inaugural Balls will also feature well-known acts, including Rascal Flatts at the Commander in Chief Ball for military service members and Gavin DeGraw at the Starlight Ball for high-dollar donors.

Finding notable names for Inauguration weekend was not always easy for the Trump campaign. In 2017, Trump reportedly struggled to find talent to feature. The performers that Trump was able to secure, however, were not as openly supportive of his administration as many of the 2025 singers are. 

At 16 years old, singer Jackie Evancho - runner-up on Season 5 of America’s Got Talent - sang the national anthem at the 2017 Inauguration. Following the announcement that she would perform, she received harsh criticism from fans, who believed Evancho was betraying her sister, Juliet, who is a transgender woman. The Trump administration notoriously supported anti-LGBTQ legislation, specifically working to eradicate rights for the trans community and their access to gender-affirming healthcare.

However, when asked about Evancho’s decision to sing at the inauguration, her sister Juliet said, “The way Jackie looked at it, [the performance] was nothing political.” Evancho had always shown support for her sister and the rest of the trans community, releasing a music video where she covered Ed Sheeran’s song about a transgender teen, and told ABC News, “I support my sister 100 percent, and I think it's a shame that this has people questioning that. It's really nothing to do with it.”

Evancho had even previously performed at the 2010 National Christmas Tree Lighting under the Obama administration, showing that for her, it was more about the historic opportunity than a display of her political views.

However, some performers were very vocal about their disdain for the incoming president, and even elected to not perform because of it. Two groups that participated in the inauguration ceremonies, but not with all its members, were the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Radio City Rockettes. 

Before Inauguration Day, a petition circulated calling for the Choir not to perform, citing the opposing values of the Trump administration and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the reason for objection. The 360-member choir was reportedly divided on the decision, but ultimately only one member, Jan Chamberlin, confirmed that they would quit, taking to Facebook to announce her departure.

Many of the Rockettes were also not happy about their group’s decision to perform. Dancer Phoebe Pearl posted a photo of her and the dance group on Instagram with the caption, “The women I work with are intelligent and are full of love and the decision of performing for a man that stands for everything we’re against is appalling.” Rumors quickly began to circulate that the dancers were being forced to attend the ceremony. However, the Madison Square Garden Company, which manages the Rockettes, announced that no dancers were required to perform at the Inauguration, and may only perform by voluntarily signing up.