20 January 2021 was the day of the inauguration, Inauguration Day, of the 46th President of the United States of America, Joe Biden. A moment of genuine celebration of ideals and national unity, featuring international music stars who will perform during the lengthy inauguration ceremony for the new US administration.
Kicking off the “soundtrack” to the’inauguration day, which featured Tom Hanks as the narrator of this powerful programme, was, of course, the anthem sung by a visibly moved Lady Gaga. This was followed by a performance by Jennifer Lopez that during the medley of “This Land Is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful”, he shouted in Spanish: “Freedom and justice for all!”
As evening falls, the musical spectacle itself gets underway with a performance by Bruce Springsteen with *Land of Hope and Dreams*. Dreams and hope that the nation certainly needs after a year of the pandemic and the difficult times experienced following the storming of the Capitol in recent days.
The evening’s second musical interlude is introduced in a decidedly original way, so that this celebration is seen, above all, as a celebration of ordinary people. It is, in fact, Anthony Gaskin, an employee of UPS (the American parcel delivery company), who “delivers” us a present: a performance, from Miami, by Jon Bon Jovi and the Kings of Suburbia. At dawn, on a jetty, with the sea behind them, they sing “Here Comes the Sun”, the Beatles’ iconic hit.
Next up is the cellist Yo-Yo But who played a truly moving rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’
Inauguration Day is a celebration for ordinary people and, above all, a celebration for the whole of America. So, getting back to pop music, here’s a little boy presenting Justin Timberlake and Ant Clemons: they sing “Better Days” on the streets of Memphis, a city situated on the Mississippi River in the state of Tennessee
Next are the Black Pumas with Colors, the Foo Fighters with “Times Like These”, dedicated to all teachers (Grohl’s mother, Virginia – frontman of the Foo Fighters – was also a teacher).
Let’s go back to Capitol Hill, to the floor John Legend She performs a beautiful rendition of ’Feeling Good“, Nina Simone’s hit from the 1960s. The atmosphere and tone are quite different for the ”Pass the Mic’ performance by DJ Cassidy from Los Angeles: alongside him, Ozuna with “Taki Taki” and Luis Fonsi with “Despacito”. In short, a dance-filled interlude!
Then, a well-deserved tribute to the doctors engaged in a gruelling battle against the coronavirus, accompanied by country music by Tim McGraw and Tyler Hubbard. And hope for better days is beginning to take hold… so that there may be many “Lovely Days”, as Demi Lovato sings from Los Angeles.
The evening draws to a close with the sky lit up by fireworks and the energy of Katy Perry:
“Thank you @KatyPerry for lighting up the night with your sparkling performance of “Firework”.” (Source: Biden Inaugural Committee)
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