Singer Taylor Dayne defends herself after New Year's Eve performance at Mar-a-Lago: 'I try to stay non-political'

Singer Taylor Dayne is defending herself after taking the stage at Mar-a-Lago on New Year’s Eve as part of President Donald Trump’s annual celebration.

The “Love Will Lead You Back” singer, 58, took to Twitter to respond to criticism from fans, who were upset to hear that she performed at the mask-less event during the coronavirus pandemic. Many also said her appearance was an endorsement of Trump’s policies.

Singer Taylor Dayne, 58, is defending herself after a New Year's Eve performance at President Trump's annual party at Mar-a-Lago. (Photo: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Singer Taylor Dayne, 58, is defending herself after a New Year's Eve performance at President Trump's annual party at Mar-a-Lago. (Photo: Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)

“I’m saddened by all this ... I try to stay non-political and non-judgmental and not preach,” Dayne said in a now-deleted tweet, which was captured by Just Jared. “I sing from my heart purely and from Source. I wish for all to be who they need to be ... and find their way.”

Taylor Dayne took to Twitter to defend her New Year's Eve appearance at Mar-a-Lago. (Screenshot: Twitter.com/Taylor Dayne via Just Jared)
Taylor Dayne took to Twitter to defend her New Year's Eve appearance at Mar-a-Lago. (Screenshot: Twitter.com/Taylor Dayne via Just Jared)

Dayne’s statement was met by significant criticism from some fans.

While Trump and first lady Melania Trump did not attend the celebration, according to CNN, guests at the glitzy fête included Donald Trump Jr. and girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump and wife Lara Trump, Tiffany Trump and Rudy Giuliani. Guests reportedly paid four figures for an entry ticket, according to the New York Times.

Dayne, who wore a floor-length shimmering gown to the celebration, wasn’t the only singer to perform at Mar-a-Lago. In a Facebook video, Donald Trump Jr. revealed that Vanilla Ice performed at the celebration, as Yahoo Entertainment previously reported.

“OK this is amazing. Vanilla Ice is playing the Mar-a-Lago New Years Eve party,” Trump Jr. captioned his video from Thursday evening, which depicted the rapper performing his1989 hits “Ice Ice Baby” and a cover of Wild Cherry’s “Play That Funky Music” to a crowd of fans, who were all mask-less. “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.”

Representatives of Vanilla Ice did not respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s previously request for comment. A spokesperson for Mar-a-Lago also declined to comment when asked by Yahoo Entertainment. The rapper’s latest tweet — captioned “#DropTheMic” — shares a news article detailing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

In Palm Beach County, where Mar-a-Lago is located, the mayor has extended a State of Emergency order until Jan. 8 due to the more than 1.3 million positive coronavirus cases. However, Florida does not require face coverings.

Related: Taylor Dayne shares what it was like touring with Michael Jackson

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