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Charlotte Church, Rebecca Ferguson decline Trump invite

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FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2016 file photo, British singer Rebecca Ferguson arrives at the premiere of the film "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" in London. Ferguson and Welsh singer Charlotte Church have declined to perform at the inauguration for President-elect Donald Trump. Ferguson, a runner-up on “The X Factor” in the U.K., wrote on her website Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017, that she would have only performed if she were allowed to sing Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” a song that protested racism and the lynching of African Americans. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK – British singers Charlotte Church and Rebecca Ferguson have declined to perform at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Church wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that Trump’s “staff have asked me to sing at your inauguration, a simple internet search would show I think you’re a tyrant. Bye.”

A spokeswoman for the transition did not to respond to a request for comment.

Ferguson, a runner-up on “The X Factor” in the U.K., wrote on her website Tuesday that she would have only performed at the Jan. 20 inauguration if she were allowed to sing Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” a song that protested racism and the lynching of African Americans.

She wrote: “I wanted to try and help educate the people watching of where division and separation can lead to if not corrected.”

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