Fri 15 January 2021:
Pop superstar Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem during Joe Biden’s swearing-in as US president on January 20, with Jennifer Lopez also performing at the largely virtual event, it was announced Thursday.
Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks will host a primetime 90-minute TV special called “Celebrating America” that will be broadcast live on major America networks from 8:30-10:00 p.m. EDT (1330-1500 GMT) on Jan. 20, which will also be streamed live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Several Hollywood stars from movie and music industries will appear in President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration event next Wednesday that will be televised live nationally.
Gaga and Lopez will perform during the ceremony itself, held on the steps of the Capitol building, which still bears the scars of the January 6 attack.
Gaga has been a vocal supporter of Biden, appearing at his campaign finale in Pittsburgh in November; while Lopez has been outspoken in recent months about COVID-19 relief efforts.
Some 20,000 National Guard soldiers are expected in Washington for Biden’s inauguration. The capital is already under heavy security, with much of downtown fenced off and under guard.
“This inauguration presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the resilience and spirit of an America United,” Tony Allen, CEO of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said in a statement on Thursday, adding their first priority will be safety.
Ten-time Grammy Award and four-time Emmy Award winner Justin Timberlake will take the stage with other musical talents such as Jon Bon Jovi, Ant Clemons and Demi Lovato, according to the statement.
Academy Award and an 11-time Grammy winner Lady Gaga, who is a long-time Biden supporter, will sing the national anthem, while Jennifer Lopez will also perform, according to American media company Variety.
In addition, singers Bruce Springsteen, the Foo Fighters, and John Legend will give remote musical performances, while actresses Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington will introduce segments of the event, according to a Variety report on Friday.
The program will also include remarks from Biden and Vice President-elect Harris before they are sworn in.
Trump — who on Wednesday became the first president to be impeached for a second time for inciting the Capitol “insurrection” — had to settle for less well-known artists in 2017 due to his unpopularity in the entertainment world. Country singer Toby Keith headlined the event.
The outgoing president, who claims the election was rigged to deny him victory, will not attend the inauguration.
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