Andrea Bocelli was not asked to perform, Trump inauguration committee says (Video)
Beatrice Verhoeven
Dec 20th 2016 1:03PM
Donald Trump did not ask Andrea Bocelli to perform at his inauguration in January, inauguration committee Chairman Tom Barrack said Tuesday.
"Bocelli and his wife have been friends of Trump from the very beginning ... Bocelli is loyal to him as an individual," Barrack said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "The Bocelli's came to him and said, 'Look, if it would be helpful to you, if you would like us to perform, we would consider it.' [But] Donald said, 'You don't need to. We're not in that kind of a framework. Thanks very much for the offer. You're my friend. You are always welcome at the White House.'"
According to the New York Post, Bocelli was personally approached by Trump to perform at the inauguration. Barrack added that the media twisted the situation when they reported that Bocelli declined to perform at the inauguration after he was trolled on social media.
See photos of Andrew Bocelli:
Andrea Bocelli out and about
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JUNE 9, 2017: Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli (L) and Russian singer Zara seen ahead of the 2017 Muz-TV Music Awards ceremony at Olimpiyskiy[Olympic] Stadium. Artyom Geodakyan/TASS (Photo by Artyom Geodakyan\TASS via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 24: Andrea Bocelli and his wide Veronica Berti attend the Vhernier launch with Andrea Bocelli in Design District on April 24, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Sergi Alexander/Getty Images).
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: Andrea Bocelli (R) and Veronica Berti attend the 10th Annual Clinton Global Citizen Awards at Sheraton New York Times Square on September 19, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Rob Kim/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 18: Andrea Bocelli performs in concert at Prudential Center on December 18, 2016 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 08: Singer-songwriter Andrea Bocelli performs in concert at the Frank Erwin Center on December 8, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage)
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 03: Singer Andrea Bocelli performs at MGM Grand Garden Arena as he kicks off his U.S. tour on December 3, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY - NOVEMBER 21: Producer Lady Monika Bacardi, Andrea Iervolino, singer Andrea Bocelli, actor Toby Sebastian and Roberto Sessa attend 'The Music of Silence' by Michael Radford. On set with Andrea Bocelli and AMBI Media Group producers at Cinecitta on November 21, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - OCTOBER 09: Opera singer Andrea Bocelli and partner Veronica Berti attend the ECHO Klassik 2016 at Konzerthaus Am Gendarmenmarkt on October 09, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Franziska Krug/Getty Images)
VERONA, ITALY - OCTOBER 07: Veronica Berti, Andrea Bocelli and Amos Bocelli attend Intimissimi On Ice at Arena on October 7, 2016 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Nicole Scherzinger and Andrea Bocelli perform a duet on stage at The O2 Arena on October 1, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 30: Andrea Bocelli performs at a VIP preview of the new site for Annabel's, 46 Berkeley Square, on September 30, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Annabel's)
SHEFFIELD, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 23: Andrea Bocelli performs at Sheffield Arena on September 23, 2016 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by Neil Kitson/Redferns)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 20: Andrea Bocelli sings at the start of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 20, 2016 in New York City. According to the UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, the most pressing matter to be discussed at the General Assembly is the world's refugee crisis. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 19: Andrea Bocelli and Valerie Berti attend the 2016 Clinton Global Citizen Awards at Sheraton New York Times Square on September 19, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Actress Veronica Berti (L) and recording artist Andrea Bocelli arrive at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Veronica Berti and Andrea Bocelli arrives at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Also Read:Andrea Bocelli Fans Beg Him Not to Sing 'For Fascist Trump'
"It never got to, 'Can you, will you, would you' with either of them. They're just great friends. And that was it," Barrack said.
TheWrap exclusively learned last week that Trump's team is struggling so hard to book A-list performers for his inaugural festivities that two talent bookers said they were offered ambassadorships if they could deliver marquee names. The inauguration team has its sights set on top-tier talents like Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Aretha Franklin, and were willing to pay steep fees for the performers.
Also Read:Insiders: Trump Team Dangled Ambassadorships to Lure A-List Inauguration Singers (Exclusive)
A meeting between Trump and Kanye West spurred speculation last week that the troubled rapper might perform. Also last week, news broke that Trump's team had managed to enlist 16-year-old former "America's Got Talent" star Jackie Evancho for the inauguration.
A representative for Bocelli has not yet responded to TheWrap's request for comment.
Read original story Andrea Bocelli Was Not Asked to Perform, Trump Inauguration Committee Says (Video) At TheWrap
Sign up for Entertainment Insider by AOL to get the hottest pop culture news delivered straight to your inbox!
Chuck Norris Has Chosen To Retire From Acting, And The Reason Behind His Decision Is
This Creepy 1887 House Was Uninhabitable, But They Restored It To Its Former Glory And
An outrageous card offering 0% interest until nearly 2020
7 outrageous credit cards if you have excellent credit
Cards charging 0% interest until 2020
These Dog Breeds Didn't Look Like This 100 Years Ago!
Stars You Had No Idea Were THIS Short
The Shortest Marriages of Hollywood... And Their Repercussions
Gwyneth Paltrow spotted hanging in the Hamptons with a royal — but it wasn't Kate or …
Personalized initial necklaces like Meghan Markle's are less than $20 on Amazon
Jessica Alba's Honest Beauty just got their prices slashed for Prime Day
Montana Mom Drowned Both Her Kids On Purpose & It Wasn't The Fi…
Chip Chick
What Happened to Madeleine McCann? Here's Everything You Need T…
Here Are All The Facts You Probably Don't Know About Laci Peter…
Dermstore Summer Sale is Here! Up to 20% OFF sitewide*
DermStore
AOL Logo Entertainment
Get the latest pop culture and celebrity news delivered to your inbox daily!
No, I don't want more entertainment news delivered to my inbox daily