[caption id="attachment_782630" align="aligncenter" width="1068"]<a href="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/jenniferholliday.jpg"><img src="http://madamenoire.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/jenniferholliday.jpg" width="1068" height="600" class="wp-image-782630 size-full" /></a> Photo Credit: Carrie Devorah / WENN[/caption]
On Friday (Jan. 14) afternoon, social media timelines were in shambles for one particular reason: Jennifer Holliday. News hit various outlets, including <em><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/13/entertainment/inauguration-concert-lineup-toby-keith-3-doors-down-donald-trump/">CNN</a>, </em>that the Grammy-and Tony-winning singer was one of the acts slated to perform at resident-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony.
Among Holliday, country singers Toby Keith and Lee Greenwood, rock act 3 Doors Down, The Piano Guys and The Frontmen of Country were announced as performers for The <i>Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration, </i>in<i> </i>which Tom Barrack, the chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee released a statement declaring the event will celebrate the heritage of America. But, of course, folks weren't too happy about her alleged decision.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jennifer Holliday was just set up with the best chance ever to reply, "And I'm telling you....I'm not going." And she didn't take it.</p>
— itsonlyzach (@itsonlyzach) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsonlyzach/status/819958793563963393">January 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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But with the buzz quickly circulating, Holliday's publicist Bill Carpenter confirmed that the singer hasn’t committed to the event, offering, "Jennifer has been asked to perform at the welcome concert on the national mall, but she hasn’t committed to doing the show as of yet." “If Holliday does decide to perform, there will most likely be an official announcement coming from Carpenter," he concluded.
Soon after, Holliday spoke to <a href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7655262/jennifer-holliday-donald-trump-inauguration-performance-interview"><em>Billboard</em></a> herself, addressing the hatred being spewed her wayand whether or not she would actually be performing. "I was like, nobody knows that I'm alive and then I decide to sing a song and I wake up and they all hate me," she said.
"I haven't even endorsed anything," she continue. "I'm not singing for Donald Trump; I'm singing to welcome the people of America. He cannot be the only face that's gonna represent us. And just to have all white people up there singing is not going to be a fair representation either. So you're just saying don't go? Really? I'm just very disheartened by it that it would be so much hate."
Holliday went on to explain that she's decided to follow President Obama's call for unity and a peaceful transition, and that her decision to perform has nothing to do with politics.
"I have been unable to see how my singing helps Donald Trump or how that does anything for America or what we're trying to do by my not singing," Holliday said. "If we're protesting and we're going to have a show with all white people on it and nobody black's gonna be on it, I don't understand that either."
And for those that think her choice will end her career, she had plenty of words: "Hopefully, maybe, this will work out in the end. And, if not, I will not be killing myself. I will not be committing suicide over this. If everyone's trying to say that's the end of my career, then I guess that will have to be, but I'm going to believe that that won't be and that maybe other people will try to also see what we can do to unite the country on what little hope of togetherness we have left."
<i>Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration</i> will happen on Jan. 19, the day before Trump's official swear-in. Will you be tuned in?
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