Chrisette Michele Tries to Rationalize Trump Inauguration Gig Again on ‘Breakfast Club’

Chrisette Michele joined alleged musicians 3 Doors Down and something called a “Toby Keith” for the ill-attended Trump inauguration festivities last week, a booking decision she’s still attempting to rationalize even days later. While joining Charlamagne and the Breakfast Club crew for a 40-minute discussion on Wednesday, Michele again claimed her motivation was simple visibility.

“I needed them to see us,” Michele said. “I needed them to see what we have to say, what we look like, how we talk. With the entire campaign experience, I think that many of us were wondering, who is he talking to?”

Michele added that she was just as “confused” as everyone else regarding Trump’s campaign rhetoric, though that didn’t stop her from agreeing to the performance. “There was no hesitation,” Michele said.

[youtube ytid=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ4c-63BSd8?wmode=transparent&jqoemcache=h9cEC%5D

As soon as she agreed to be on the same bill as the aforementioned 6 Doors Up and Tony Beef, Michele said she made sure to shut her phone off. “I had turned off my phone as soon as I decided to do it,” she said. “I knew that people wouldn’t understand. I refer to myself as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but really, I was a sheep in wolf’s clothing. I was as afraid as we all are right now, knowing that I had to put on some kind of armor. I call it the armor of god. That’s why I went there and sang gospel.”

Michele, however, did not meet or otherwise engage in conversation with Trump at all during the festivities. “I know he has a lot of other things going on,” Michele told Billboard on Tuesday. “I don’t know if, like Barack and Michelle, he’s listening to my album or that I’ll be on his summer playlist, so I don’t want to take it that way. I’d rather be optimistic and think that [there will] come another chance where I can talk to him.”

But, hey, at least 12 Doors Sideways and Hoagie Teeth were there!