Singer Taylor Dayne has defended her recent performance at Mar-a-Lago as part of President Donald Trump's New Year's Eve festivities.
The "Tell it To My Heart" singer, 58, came under fire from fans when she performed at the mask-less event, accusing her of endorsing Trump's policies, which she denied in a now-deleted tweet.
"I’m saddened by all this ... I try to stay non-political and non-judgmental and not preach," she said. "I sing from my heart purely and from Source. I wish for all to be who they need to be ... and find their way."
Fans responded with dismay and disappointment. @Atack329 wrote, "It’s so very disappointing to learn you played at Mar-a-lago. You are the reason my husband and I met. We were thrilled a few years ago when you played Pride and we got to meet you. Playing for Trump isn’t just a gig, it’s an endorsement of his harmful policies."
"I’ve appreciated her work & talent, but there has to be some accountability," wrote @JoshSabarra. "It was a terrible misstep that I wish she’d handled differently. (Also, the people she was entertaining do not typically support the LGBTQ community, the very group that has stuck by her.)"
The President and First Lady Melania Trump were reportedly not at the black-tie event, but Donald Trump Jr and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump and wife Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Rudy Giuliani were.
Additional performers at the event included Vanilla Ice, members of the Beach Boys, and Berlin lead singer Teri Nunn. Tickets to the event cost $1,000, according to The New York Times.
In a video posted to Facebook, Trump Jr, who was celebrating his 43rd birthday, captured Vanilla Ice's performance for the mask-less audience, captioning, “OK this is amazing. Vanilla Ice is playing the Mar-a-Lago New Years Eve party. As a child of the ‘90s you can’t fathom how awesome that is. Beyond that I got the birthday shoutout so that’s pretty amazing."
