Whether or not we prefer it or not, Donald Trump is gearing as much as be sworn in because the forty seventh president of the US. Which means that Trump— who was just lately sentenced to an “unconditional discharge” in his hush cash case, and can face no penalty within the type of jail time, probation, or a fantastic—should discover entertainers keen to carry out on the occasion, which prior to now has been simpler stated than achieved for the polarizing politician.
Trump’s workforce has tapped American Idol winner and nation star Carrie Underwood to sing “America the Stunning” on the occasion. “I like our nation and am honored to have been requested to sing on the inauguration and to be a small a part of this historic occasion,” the singer stated in a statement on Monday. “I’m humbled to reply the decision at a time once we should all come collectively within the spirit of unity and trying to the long run.” However who will sing the nationwide anthem—arguably the eleven o’clock variety of any inauguration?
For his 2017 inauguration, Trump went with an America’s Bought Expertise runner-up, baby soprano Jackie Evancho. This time, in keeping with screenshots of the program for the inauguration, it seems that Trump has gone with a good much less well-known identify: Christopher D. Macchio. A consultant for Macchio confirmed to Self-importance Honest that the singer might be current at a number of inauguration occasions, together with the swearing in ceremony, the place he’ll sing the nationwide anthem with the US Marine Corps band orchestra and choir.
So, who is Christopher Macchio?
In line with his personal website, which doesn’t seem to have been up to date since 2021, “America’s Tenor” Christopher Macchio is an opera singer hailing from Lengthy Island, New York. He studied classical voice at Manhattan Faculty of Music and has been performing ever since.
He doesn’t boast skilled credit at any of the most important opera homes, like New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Milan’s La Scala, or the Sydney Opera Home; as an alternative, Macchio made his skilled debut in a live performance particular for PBS Tv, and adopted that up with appearances on Fox, NBC, ABC, and RAI Worldwide. He has launched two albums—Dolci Momenti (Candy Moments) and a Christmas album, O Holy Evening—and typically seems as a visitor singer in concert events with David Foster (who’s now married to American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee Foster). Macchio can also be one of many three New York Tenors, alongside Andy Cooney and Daniel Rodriguez, and semi-regularly performs concert events with them at Carnegie Corridor and Lincoln Middle. He has appeared in two movies: mafia comedy Don Q and the faith-based biopic Cabrini, directed by Sound of Freedom’s Alejandro Monteverde.
Macchio didn’t get his “large break,” so to talk, till he caught the attention of Phantom of the Opera–lover Trump. Initially, Macchio has shared on Instagram, it was Trump’s late brother Robert who was a “big, big fan” of his vocal stylings. Macchio first met the president-elect when the tenor was referred to as in as a last-minute alternative for a New 12 months’s Eve efficiency at Mar-a-Lago. He finally adopted that up by performing for Trump on the White Home patio throughout the Republican Nationwide Conference in 2020 after Trump accepted his get together’s nomination.
Macchio has been driving on the Trump bandwagon ever since, repeatedly performing opera classics like “Ave Maria” and “Nessun Dorma,” in addition to Leonard Cohen’s oft-covered “Hallelujah” at Trump rallies and marketing campaign stops in Pennsylvania, Madison Sq. Backyard, and at Trump’s golf membership in Bedminster, New Jersey. He now boasts that he’s Trump’s “favorite singer,” and even performed on the Trump HQ election-night get together. He proudly posted a video of himself posing with the president-elect at an occasion in Mar-a-Lago shortly after.
On social media, he’s avowedly MAGA and conservative, reposting and selling right-wing content material from Elon Musk and Russell Model whereas concurrently remaining “a firm believer in the unifying power” of music. No matter he says about unity, although, Macchio appears to know the place his bread is buttered. “I’m so privileged to be part of his circle, his household, and your entire Trump group,” he said in a video shared on his Instagram. Evidently remaining loyal to Trump has paid off, as Macchio now joins the pantheon of performers like Beyoncé and Woman Gaga who’ve sung the nationwide anthem at a presidential inauguration. God bless America (and assist us all).
