Keith Urban gets backlash after performing ‘Pink Pony Club’ in front of Donald Trump

Chappell Roan's 'Pink Pony Club' is associated with themes of identity and belonging within LGBTQ+ communities

Keith Urban performed Chappell Roan’s "Pink Pony Club" at Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt’s private Mar-a-Lago event, which was also attended by US President Donald Trump.

The performance was captured in Instagram posts shared by guests at the gathering held on Monday. Urban played both Bob Marley’s "Is This Love" and the widely discussed "Pink Pony Club" during his set.

 

 

 

 

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Trump stood alongside 65-year-old businessman Pratt, who previously donated $10 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign and pledged $5 billion in support of US reindustrialisation efforts.

The event drew attention not only due to its high-profile attendees but also because "Pink Pony Club" is strongly associated with themes of identity and belonging within LGBTQ+ communities. The song’s message was inspired by The Abbey, a well-known queer bar in West Hollywood.

Social media users expressed confusion and anger at Urban's choice to perform the song in front of the US President, who has been openly criticised by Roan for his anti-LGBTQ+ stance and policies. 

"Looks like Nicole peaced out just in time," one user wrote, while another said, "Conservatives have nothing of value to add to culture. And it eats at them".

"They really love that song for NO reason. They hate women, they hate gay people, they hate feminine confidence, WHY are they obsessed with this song?" said another.

Urban has performed the song multiple times in recent concerts. In an appearance on the Canadian web series Intimate and Interactive, he said the track nearly moved him to tears.

The Mar-a-Lago performance surfaced shortly after Urban broke his social media silence following the end of his 19-year marriage to Nicole Kidman.