Will Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga Get Paid for Performing at Joe Biden’s Inauguration?
Jan. 20 will be a historic day. President-elect Joe Biden will officially become our 46th president while Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will become the first woman and person of color in that position.
The inaugural ceremony will not look like past ones, though. Security officials have encouraged Americans to stay home, citing safety concerns amid the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol and health concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But there will still be plenty of entertainment.
Among the stars who will appear there is Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga. The two are set to give performances that would likely cost millions of dollars in a different setting. But what about that ceremony? Will Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga get a paycheck for performing at the inauguration?
Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga will perform at Joe Biden’s inauguration
On Jan. 14, the Biden Augural Committee announced that Lopez and Lady Gaga are among the many acts who will perform at the event. Lady Gaga will kick things off with her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” followed by a special musical performance from Lopez.
“They represent one clear picture of the grand diversity of our great nation and will help honor and celebrate the time-honored 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 U.S. Capitol,” inaugural committee CEO Tony Allen told CNN of the participants, which also include poet Amanda Gorman and Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman, among others.
“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,” Allen continued.
Will Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga receive pay for performing at Joe Biden’s inauguration?
In the past, artists reportedly haven’t been paid to perform at inaugurations. Erik Smith, the former creative director over President Barack Obama’s inaugurations, spoke to Billboard about Obama’s 2009 swearing-in ceremony, saying the performers did the job for free.
“What we were telling artists was, ‘You’re invited to perform. You’re not getting paid. Your band’s not getting paid. You get one hotel room and two tickets,'” Smith recalled. “We were limited in our resources.”
But there are still ways for them to make money
While there might not be a direct paycheck involved, an appearance on such a big platform could still be financially beneficial to Lopez and Lady Gaga.
With millions of viewers tuned in, the “Invading My Mind” collaborators have a chance to promote and expose many potential fans to their music. This, in turn, could lead to more streams and boosts in other areas that also translate to dollars. So either way, it seems like a win.
