Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States of America on Wednesday. But it was Lady Gaga who stole the show with her impeccable fashion sense and a stunning rendition of the National Anthem.
While Lady Gaga has immense talent, it probably helps that she has previous experience singing the anthem. For the 2016 Super Bowl, she gave a performance that enthralled the entire nation. But her inauguration performance of this difficult song was even more brilliant.
Equally dazzling was her killer Inauguration Day outfit. Her iconic outfit was a Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown topped with a fitted navy jacket. For extra sizzle, she included a bright red skirt that helped pull the entire outfit together.
Between the stylish appearance and incredible singing, it was easy to miss the little details about Lady Gaga’s performance. And this includes a golden dove and olive branch pinned to her jacket that the singer says has special meaning.
On Twitter, Gaga showed a closeup of the dove and olive branch along with the following message: “May we all make peace with each other.” While this message generally lines up with President Joe Biden’s calls for national unity and healing, Gaga’s symbol and message go much further back.
The olive branch has been a symbol of peace dating back to the 5th century BCE. Ancient Greeks associated the olive branch with Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace, and it quickly became an important symbol in Greek culture and literature.
The dove is also a symbol of peace going back thousands of years across multiple cultures. Doves were symbols of love and life to ancient Greeks. And to Christians, Noah releasing the dove after God flooded the planet made the dove into a symbol of divine forgiveness.
Lady Gaga’s message is quite clear: beyond the fancy dress and amazing vocals, she hopes the lasting impact of her appearance and performance is a stronger and more unified nation. And it’s a message we can all get behind as we head into a new year and a new presidential administration.