Chrisette Michele might be hoping to bridge the gap with a performance at president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, but she appears to have lost a little bit of business in the process.
Director Spike Lee weighed in on the reported performance on Thursday, writing on Instagram that he is no longer considering using Michele’s music in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of his 1986 film “She’s Gotta Have It.”
“Good Morning Folks. I Wuz Sorry To Read That ‘Sistuh Girl’ Is Singin’ At DT’s Inauguration (And To Use His Fav Word-SAD),” Lee wrote on Instagram. “I Wuz Thinkin’ ’bout Using Chrisette’s Song- BLACK GIRL MAGIC In My Netflix Series SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT…. NOT ANYMORE. And Dat’s Da Truth, Ruth.”
Lee is directing the entire series and serves as creator and executive producer along with his producer wife Tonya Lewis Lee, who will also executive produce.
On Wednesday, the New York Daily News reported that Grammy winner Michele agreed to perform at Friday’s festivities a week ago, but the performance has been kept “a big secret” for fear of backlash.
After news of the reported performance broke, Michele wrote a blog post on Thursday, saying that, while her “heart is broken for our country,” but that she is “willing to be a bridge” to a “peaceful & progressive conversation.”
“This country has had great moments. God has shined His light upon us,” Michele added in the blog post.
“This country has had great moments. God has shined His light upon us.”
The director’s Netflix series is described as “a contemporary update of Lee’s revolutionary debut independent film.” It centers on Nola Darling, a Brooklyn-based artist in her late twenties struggling to define herself and divide her time amongst her friends, her job and her three lovers: cultured model Greer Childs; investment banker Jamie Overstreet; and sneakerhead Mars Blackmon.
As TheWrap first reported, Trump’s team has had a rough time trying to book A-list performers for the inaugural balls which will take place starting Thursday. Several big-name artists, including Andrea Bocelli, Paul Anka, Garth Brooks, and Elton John have denied they are performing.