When Donald Trump is inaugurated as president on Friday, he’ll have classical singing sensation Jackie Evancho performing the National Anthem. Evancho has plenty of accomplishments under her belt, and she isn’t even old enough to vote. Who is Jackie Evancho, and why was she chosen for this big performance? Here are 7 things to know about the teen star. Evancho, who was born in 2000 in the Pittsburgh suburbs, started taking singing lessons at age eight. She earned a reputation as a singer quickly. Within two years, according to Billboard, she had “breezed through a local singing contest, started her own YouTube channel, released her independent debut album,, and held the record as the world’s youngest opera singer. “Evancho was 10 years old when she came into the national spotlight on. The young, angelic singer wowed with classical and opera songs, and she came in second place on the competition. In 2010, a young Evancho performed for President Barack Obama. She was a part of the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and even appeared onstage with Obama and Santa. Shortly after winning, Evancho met and performed for the then-businessman Donald Trump. She said it was a great experience. “When I met him, he was extremely polite, very nice, and thankful for me to be there and perform for him,” she recollected when she appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday Though inaugurations past have featured superstar performers, they usually sing other songs, not the national anthem. According to, Beyonce was an unconventional choice to sing the “Star-Spangled Banner” in 2012. Typically it has been performed by a choir, making the classical singer a more traditional choice. Evancho’s sister is transgender, and Evancho has faced criticism on social media for agreeing to perform, with some calling her “selfish” and “a traitor. ” Though her sister will not be attending the ceremony, Evancho toldthat she and her sister support each other. “I had a lot of positivity from my family, and that’s really all that matters to me,” she said. “And all of my true fans have been there for me and supportive, and that’s really all I need, so I’m sticking to it. “Evancho is hardly the first singer to face pressure for agreeing to perform at Trump’s inauguration. Broadway star Jennifer Holliday was initially scheduled to perform at an inauguration event, but said over the weekend that she would not be going, out of support for the LGBT community. Evancho takes the responsibility of performing the notoriously difficult song seriously. She has been practicing hard, she told, even rehearsing in the cold so she can be ready in case of chilly weather. “It’s such a big, grand song,” she said. “You really don’t want to mess that up. “
