Broadway star Jennifer Holliday has pulled out of a concert celebrating Donald Trump’s inauguration following protests from her gay and black fans.

Jennifer, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway’s Dreamgirls, said she had not considered that singing at Thursday’s concert at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial would be judged a statement of support for the president-elect.

She decided to withdraw after reading reports about how her participation was being viewed and apologised for a lack of judgement.

“It just really hit home for me,” she said. “The gay community has been a big part of my life and my career. I feel there really wouldn’t be a Jennifer Holliday or a Dreamgirls in the 21st Century without them. I needed to at least hear them out and learn why it would be such a great disappointment for them.”

Several prominent entertainers have declined to perform at Mr Trump’s inaugural festivities, though country star Toby Keith, the rock band 3 Doors Down and actor Jon Voight are still in Thursday’s line-up.

Jon Voight arriving for the Irish Film and Television Awards at the Burlington Hotel Dublin.
Jon Voight (Julien Behal/PA)

Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem at the inauguration on Friday.

Jennifer said it was painful to read racial epithets, insults and people wishing that she was dead “just for singing a song”. She had been scheduled to sing the Stephen Foster song Hard Times Come Again No More.

“I had no idea it would be interpreted as a political statement,” she said. “That’s my fault for not paying attention to what the climate is like in the country right now.”