The 2021 Presidential Inauguration was a star studded event, with musical performances from the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Andra Day, Garth Brooks, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen. Since this was such a historic event, I figured I’d give my thoughts on a few of the performances.
Jennifer Lopez:
J-Lo performed “This Land is Your Land” and “America, the Beautiful.” The instrumental accompaniment from the Marine Band was pretty smooth and enjoyable, and Lopez’s vocal control and dynamics were impeccable. The lyrics continue to uninspire all of these years later, but her performance was solid. Out of context this would be a boring listen, but watching it coupled with the Presidential Inauguration made sense and was relatively enjoyable.
Andra Day:
Performing her original hit song “Rise Up,” Andra Day’s vocals were crisp and smooth; she sounded like the record to an uncanny degree. Over top of a piano-only instrumental, her vocal performance was very impressive, but this song remains disappointingly un-anthemic and generally overwritten. The lyrics also leave a significant amount to be desired; they’re just quite vague.
Garth Brooks:
Garth Brooks sang “Amazing Grace”, a song which I am quite partial to because it’s almost completely acapella. And while I think this song was an inspired choice, his vocal performance was pretty flat and uninteresting, and his inflections were mildly obnoxious. His tone, timbre, and range were impressive, but he didn’t quite stick the landing.
Katy Perry:
Katy Perry closed out the Inauguration Parade with her massive hit “Firework” which is, in my opinion, one of the worst modern pop songs. How it has continued to hold onto relevance is beyond me and everything about it grates my ears. With that being said, she’s clearly vocally talented, and her performance here was quite solid. I just wish she had picked something more compelling from her discography.
Overall, the inauguration’s musical performances were smooth, polished, and well executed, but lacked the artistry typically characteristic of music-focused events. But all in all, they served their purpose; if the message of the inauguration was unity, such a polished, uncontroversial lineup with something for everyone fit the bill.
MOOSE PRINTS 