Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez almost canceled their highly anticipated performances at President Joe Biden's January 20, 2021, inauguration due to safety fears sparked by the January 6 Capitol riot, former First Lady Jill Biden revealed in her new memoir "View From the East Wing".
Per Radar Online, Jill Biden described the tense days leading up to the inauguration, as the nation grappled with the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by rioters attempting to disrupt Congress's certification of Biden's election victory. Watching the chaos unfold from their Wilmington, Delaware home, Jill said she feared for those caught in the violence and questioned whether democracy would hold.
"The images of rioters smashing windows and threatening lawmakers were terrifying," Jill wrote. "I was terrified for them, and for the country. Was this a coup, the end of democracy?"
The violent unrest triggered widespread concerns among many invited performers about their safety at the inauguration. Jill disclosed that organizers had to actively reassure stars, including Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez, that it would be safe to attend and perform.
"Many of the people we invited to perform were scared of getting COVID or of being attacked by a mob," Jill explained. Among those nearly withdrawing was Amanda Gorman, the young poet Jill personally selected for the event, who had security concerns tied to the insurrection.
Despite initial fears and hesitation, all three artists stayed on, with Gaga delivering a stirring rendition of the national anthem and Lopez performing a musical set that included a Spanish-language segment celebrating unity and inclusion. Gorman's inaugural poem reading became one of the day's defining moments.
Jill Biden said even with the elaborate planning and increased security that came after the Capitol riot, the uncertainty continued until the last minutes.
In a separate but recent interview with the "Subway Takes" podcast, Jennifer Lopez reaffirmed her deep connection to New York City, stating that to be considered a true New Yorker, one must be born in one of the city's five boroughs, per USA Today.
"You have to be born in New York to be a New Yorker," Lopez told host Kareem Rahma on June 5, 2026. She emphasized that living in the city for years or adopting its sensibility does not grant the title in her view. "Jenny from the block forever, baby," she added.
Lopez also expressed strong beliefs about self-love during the podcast, advocating for it to be taught in schools from kindergarten through college as part of emotional intelligence development.
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