A full-throated, supremely confident Lady Gaga belted out the national anthem at President Joe Biden's inauguration in a very Gaga way 鈥� with flamboyance, fashion and passion.
The Grammy winner wore a huge dove-shaped brooch and an impressively billowing red sculpted skirt as she sang into a golden microphone, delivering an emotional and powerful rendition of 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥� She was followed at Wednesday's ceremony by Jennifer Lopez, dressed all in white, who threw a line of Spanish into her medley of 鈥淭his Land is Your Land鈥� and 鈥淎merica the Beautiful" 鈥� a pointed nod to multiculturalism, just two weeks after white supremacists and other violent rioters stormed the Capitol in an effort to undermine the peaceful transfer of power.
And country star Garth Brooks, doffing his black cowboy hat, sang a soulful a capella rendition of 鈥淎mazing Grace,鈥� his eyes closed for much of the song. He asked the audience to sing a verse with him: 鈥淣ot just the people here, but the people at home, to work as one united.鈥�
The three superstars were among a slew of glittery celebrities descending on Washington 鈥� virtually or in person 鈥� to welcome the new administration of Biden and Kamala Harris, a duo popular in Hollywood, where former President Donald Trump was decidedly not. While stars mostly eschewed Trump's inauguration four years ago, the A-list was back for Biden.
Brooks was careful to call his decision to perform on Wednesday non-political, and in the spirit of unity. He had performed during the inaugural celebration for Obama in 2009, but turned down a chance to perform for Trump in 2017, citing a scheduling conflict.
Gaga went on Twitter later to explain that the giant brooch accompanying her Schiaparelli haute couture outfit was 鈥渁 dove carrying an olive branch. May we all make peace with each other.鈥� Lopez was in all-white Chanel, and Brooks kept it real in jeans, an open-collared black shirt and blazer.
While the podium was full of high-wattage star power, there was little question that a new star had also emerged: 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman, whose poise and urgency as she recited 鈥淭he Hill We Climb鈥� enthralled a global audience.
None other than Bruce Springsteen launched the evening's entertainment: 鈥淐elebrating America,鈥� a 90-minute, multi-network broadcast hosted by Tom Hanks that took the place of the usual official inaugural balls, with Biden and Harris watching along and giving brief remarks. Alone with his guitar, The Boss sang his 鈥淟and of Hope and Dreams鈥� in front of the Lincoln Memorial. 鈥淚 will provide for you, and I鈥檒l stand by your side," he sang. "You鈥檒l need a good companion, for this part of the ride.鈥�
Hanks, also at the Lincoln Memorial, spoke of 鈥渄eep divisions and a troubling
Jon Bon Jovi contributed a rendition of 鈥淗ere Comes the Sun鈥� from Miami, and Ant Clemons and Justin Timberlake performed 鈥淏etter Days鈥� from Memphis. John Legend sang 鈥淔eeling Good鈥� in Washington; Foo Fighters sang 鈥淭imes Like These鈥� in
A starry collection of Broadway's most prominent musical actors collaborated on a medley of 鈥淪easons of Love鈥� from the show 鈥淩ent鈥� and 鈥淟et the Sunshine In鈥� from 鈥淗air,鈥� among them Christopher Jackson, Ren茅e Elise Goldsberry, Laura Benanti, Betty Buckley, Leslie Uggams and Javier Mu帽oz. 鈥淗amilton鈥� creator Lin-Manuel Miranda recited from 鈥淭he Cure at Troy鈥� by Irish poet Seamus Heaney.
Reciting excerpts of notable past inaugural addresses were basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
The proceedings ended with a lavish fireworks show in the Washington night sky, watched by Biden (at the White House) and Harris (at the Lincoln Memorial) and their families to 鈥� what else? 鈥� 鈥淔irework,鈥� performed by Katy Perry.
The history of celebrities performing at inaugurations dates back to Franklin D. Roosevelt鈥檚 third inauguration in 1941, when a gala celebration the evening before saw performances from Irving Berlin, Mickey Rooney and Charlie Chaplin, says Lina Mann of the White House Historical Association. 鈥淐haplin performed his monologue from 鈥楾he Great Dictator,鈥欌�� Mann notes.
The celebrity component only increased over time, and one of the starriest inaugurations was that of John F. Kennedy in 1961. That celebration, hosted by Frank Sinatra, drew Harry Belafonte, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Gene Kelly, Ethel Merman, Laurence Olivier, Sidney Poitier and other celebrities.
Fast forward to the first Obama inauguration in 2009, where Aretha Franklin sang 鈥淢y Country, 'Tis of Thee鈥� at the swearing-in, and the new president and his wife, Michelle, were serenaded by Beyonc茅 singing 鈥淎t Last鈥� at an inaugural ball.
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AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton contributed to this report from Los Angeles.
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For complete coverage of the inauguration, please visit: https://apnews.com/hub/biden-inauguration
Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press
