In 2009, at the inauguration of Barack Obama to his first presidential term, Aretha Franklin sang to a crowd of over 1.8 million people. In 2014, Beyoncé regaled an audience of over a million.
On January 20, 2021, Lady Gaga is expected to perform at the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States. But unlike her predecessors, she will do so not to a crowd but to a field of flags, which will cover the National Mall up to 13th Street to represent the American people who are unable to travel to Washington, DC.
ALSO READ: All you need to know about the Biden-Harris inauguration
A rehearsal showing the 46 lights over the Washington skyline that will represent Biden becoming the 46th POTUS | Reuters
With over 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 a day, and daily death tolls in the thousands, the US faces a public health crisis like no other, and Biden’s promise to “listen to science” makes large crowds a strict no-go at his inauguration. To compensate for this visual absence, the Presidential Inaugural Committee has prepared a “Field of Flags”, 56 pillars of light representing the 50 states and US territories. These will be lit up for 46 seconds, marking Biden’s inauguration.
Pop artists Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga will be among A-listers who will perform at the largely-virtual swearing-in ceremony of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States on January 20.
Gaga, a one-of-a-kind artist, performer and a trailblazer in beauty and fashion, will sing the national anthem and Lopez will give a musical performance on the West Front of the US Capitol, where the ceremony will be taking place.
Biden, 78, and Kamala Harris, 56, will be sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States during the ceremony.
But it won't be a typical inauguration, for several reasons. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and fresh security concerns following a pro-Trump mob breaching the Capitol last week have combined to force some changes to what is a historical American day.
More than 10,000 National Guard troops will be in the city, with about 5,000 more on standby.
Most of the events surrounding Biden's swearing-in will be virtual.
Biden's inauguration is expected to feature limited attendance. The Biden Inaugural Committee has already announced that the typical parade that follows the swearing-in ceremony will take place virtually and will feature supporters from across the country.
Donald Trump is expected to avoid the inauguration, becoming the first president to skip the inauguration of his successor since 1869.
According to the line-up announced by the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC), Invocation would be given by Father Leo J O'Donovan, a Jesuit Catholic priest who was Georgetown University president from 1989 to 2001.
The Pledge of Allegiance would be recited by Andrea Hall, a firefighter from Georgia.
The Poetry Reading would be by Amanda Gorman. She made history in 2017 by being named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate in the United States by UrbanWord and the Library of Congress.
The Benediction would be by Reverend Dr Silvester Beaman, the Pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Wilmington, Delaware.
Beaman has known the Biden family for nearly 30 years and is a close confidante and friend of the President-Elect.
They represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of our great nation and will help honour and celebrate the time-honoured traditions of the presidential inauguration as President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris take the oath of office on the West Front of the US Capitol, said PIC CEO Tony Allen.
They are also committed to the President-elect and the Vice-President-elect's steadfast vision of a new chapter in our American story in which we are an America united in overcoming the deep divisions and challenges facing our people, unifying the country, and restoring the soul of our nation, he said.
In his inaugural address, Biden is expected to deliver a speech crafted and rewritten several times over the months since his election win in November, one that is expected to build on his theme of reunifying America.
With inputs from PTI
