Laura Branigan’s rep calls it ‘absolutely appalling’ that ‘Gloria’ played before Trump riot

Laura Branigan’s legacy manager calls it “absolutely appalling” that the late singer’s celebrated song “Gloria” was played to hype up Trump and attendees of his rally on Wednesday.

As fallout continues over the “Stop the Steal” rally turned riot — which saw pro-Trump protestors storm the Capitol, defacing and stealing property in a melee that resulted in five deaths — Kathy Golik, who was Branigan’s manager until her 2004 death, condemned a video seemingly recorded by Donald Trump Jr. showing behind the scenes at the rally with “Gloria” blaring.

In a series of tweets, Golik said it was “sad” and “upsetting” to see Branigan’s “beautiful memory & legacy have any association w/ Pres. Trump & such a dark day in US history. Neither Laura, nor her music, deserve any unwarranted fallout due to actions of others.”

She went on to call it “absolutely appalling” to hear 1982’s “Gloria,” which Branigan received a Grammy nomination for, “being played in the background of a widely-circulating video of Pres. Trump from yesterday, given the tragic, unsettling, & shameful happenings that occurred at the US Capitol.”

And that “no permission” was given to use the song, “nor endorsement of him, past or present, was granted to Pres. Trump on behalf of Laura or her legacy management company.” It ended by saying they “strongly & vehemently DO NOT condone” Wednesday’s events.

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The video seems to be recorded behind-the-scenes at the Ellipse, the park south of the White House fence where Trump addressed his supporters at length, claiming that the election was rigged against him and urging spectators to go the Capitol, where President-elect Joe Biden’s win was to be made official, to disrupt proceedings. Trump Jr. was in a tented area with his father, along with Kayleigh McEnany, Kimberly Guilfoyle and others from Team Trump as they looked at monitors and talked logistics of the rally.

Trump Jr. pans around and then focuses on Guilfoyle, who dances to the music for her boyfriend. The first son tells his followers the rally is about to start, leading Guilfoyle to urge Trump supporters to do the right thing and “fight” the election results.

Of course, Trump supporters did fight after the president’s speech. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick died following the pro-Trump riot — and serval rioters died as well.

Branigan, who began her career as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen, recorded the English cover of the Italian song “Gloria” for her 1982 self-titled, solo album debut. The song, which earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, pushed her to the top of the charts. (She was also nominated for contributing “Imagination” to the Flashdance soundtrack, which was nominated for Album of the Year in 1983.)

Branigan, whose other successful songs from her seven albums include “Solitaire,” “Self Control,” “Spanish Eddie” and the Michael Bolton co-written “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You,” died in 2004 of a brain aneurysm at age 52.

In 2019, “Gloria” became the NHL hockey team St. Louis Blues’s postgame victory song during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup. Golik said on Twitter that “Gloria” should only be played for celebrations — and by the Blues.

A spokesperson for Trump has not responded to our request for comment. It’s a tumultuous final two weeks for the him as Democratic lawmakers threatened to impeach him over the riot if he’s not removed by Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet through the 25th Amendment. Plus, members of his administration have been resigning over the riot.

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