MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 04: Charlotte Church takes part in an anti-austerity protest during the first day of the Conservative Party Autumn Conference 2015 on October 4, 2015 in Manchester, England. Up to 80,000 people are expected to attend a demonstration today organised by the TUC and anti-austerity protesters. Conservative Party members are in Manchester for its first conference as a party in a majority government since 1996. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
With just days remaining until Donald Trump‘s inauguration, the president-elect still has a scant entertainment lineup. Among those who have inexplicably agreed to perform are Jackie Evancho, the Rockettes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choice, and the Talladega College Marching Tornadoes.
The Trump committee hasn’t been so lucky with other invitations. When the team asked singers Charlotte Church and Rebecca Ferguson to perform at the event, both turned him down.
Church, a classical and pop singer originating from Wales, is known for her rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Pie Jesu. Now, she’ll also be known for her Trump snub. After rejecting his invitation, Church pondered over why Trump’s inaugural team had approached her in the first place, tweeting that “a simple Internet search would show I think you’re a tyrant.”
Ferguson, the other singer who rebuffed Trump, was the runner-up from Britain’s The X Factor. Ferguson had said she would “graciously accept” the offer on one condition: that she be allowed to sing Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit — a song condemning the lynchings of African-Americans in the 1930s.
Ferguson explained this choice in a statement on her website, writing:
“I wasn’t comfortable with the song choice made on my behalf, and although I’m very blessed to have a gift that gives me amazing opportunities, as a mother and an artist, I had to defend my stance. That is why I made the decision to sing Strange Fruit when I was invited. I requested to sing Strange Fruit, as I felt it was the only song that would not compromise my artistic integrity and also as somebody who has a lot of love for all people, but has a special empathy as well for African American people and the #blacklivesmatter movement, I wanted to create a moment of pause for people to reflect.”
Ferguson ended her note with a tone of finality: “There are many gray areas about the offer for me to perform that I’m unable to share right now, but I will not be singing.”
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