I want to be a ray of light in this world

Jewel has addressed the backlash to her appearance at an event for Donald Trump’s inauguration, saying she wants to be a “ray of light in this world”.

The singer played a surprise set at the Make America Healthy Again Ball on January 20, which honoured Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the new president’s vaccine sceptic pick to lead the Department of Health.

Jewel played ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ at the event, leading some fans to question whether her involvement represented an endorsement of Trump.

In a video posted to Instagram, Jewel explained that she viewed her appearance as a chance to highlight the country’s mental health crisis.

“As many of you know, I am a mental health advocate,” she said. “If there’s anything that I’ve learned in the past 20 years, it’s that mental health affects everybody’s lives across party lines. I [also] reached out to the last administration [and] spoke with the surgeon general about the mental health crisis that’s facing our nation. I don’t know if you guys know the stats, but it is bleak.”

“If I wait to try until I agree 100% with the people that might be willing to help me, I’d never get off the bench,” she added. “I don’t think that’s how activism works, waiting until everything’s perfect enough to participate. It’s actually… because things are so imperfect that we have to find ways to engage and to participate. And we have to act now. We cannot wait another four years.”

“I understand that my words were overly simplistic. Half of our country feels hope right now, and I honour that. And half of our country feels disenfranchised and scared and vulnerable, and that is unacceptable.”

Jewel then appeared to address Trump’s controversial ruling that the US will only recognise two sexes, male and female: “None of us can afford to stop fighting, and I really believe that the only way we can change is in relationship. It isn’t in isolation or by isolating, it’s by being in relationship, by reaching out, by having hard conversations, and I really hope that we can push through our hurt and move toward understanding on both sides.”

“I want to be a ray of light in this world. I try hard to be a ray of light in your lives,” she concluded. “I know that in times of darkness we must grow light, and so I will wake up again tomorrow and try again. And I will count on each of you to do the same.”

Jewel is not the only artist to face criticism for playing events connected to Trump’s inauguration. Soulja Boy and Nelly have both defended their choice to play shows during the weekend, while Snoop Dogg, Village People and Billy Ray Cyrus have also made themselves talking points as a result of their association with the celebrations.

Another high-profile presence at the inauguration was Elon Musk, who performed a controversial gesture in front of a crowd that involved him extending his arm straight upwards with his palm facing down. Many have likened the gesture to a Nazi salute, which Musk has described as “tired” and an attempt at “dirty tricks”.