Former America’s Got Talent runner-up Jackie Evancho says she is receiving backlash via social media after she announced that she would be singing at Donald Trump's upcoming inauguration ceremony.
As we noted, the opera singer went on the Today show earlier this week with her big news and expressed excitement about performing at the Jan. 20 ceremony.
Trump's team also said that they looking forward to her performance.
“We’re delighted to have Jackie Evancho performing the national anthem at the 58th presidential inaugural ceremony,” Boris Epshteyn, the inaugural committee’s director of communications, said in a statement. “As the youngest solo artist to ever go platinum, she is a true role model and inspiration for people young and old in our country and around the globe. Jackie represents the best and the brightest of America.”
However, not everyone is thrilled that Evancho will be performing and she is receiving backlash. The 16-year-old said the online trolls are specifically targeting her transgender sister and questioning why she would agree to perform for an administration with historically anti-LGBT views.
"My family is kind of a big target. I have a transgender sister and so a lot of hate goes towards us," Evancho told People. "But I also get a lot of love. So, we pay most attention to that. Sometimes we get really annoyed with the hate, everyone does, we have to admit it but we just ignore it."
This will not be the first time the singer will be performing for a president. She sang "O Holy Night" at the National Christmas Tree Lighting hosted by President Barack Obama in 2010 and also at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2012. Evancho previously sang for President-elect Trump as well after an event in 2011.
Andrea Bocelli is reportedly scheduled to do a duet with Evancho at the inauguration but the Italian tenor has not yet confirmed those reports.