Ultimate sacrifice? Chrisette Michele reveals family have disowned her over Trump inauguration gig

Chrisette Michele has revealed that she didn't even meet Donald Trump despite her decision to perform at his inauguration ball costing her fans, the respect of members of the black community, the opportunity to work with Spike Lee and now her family.

Speaking to Billboard magazine the Grammy award-winning r'n'b singer said that she was left disappointed when a change in the schedule meant that she never got the opportunity to shake hands with the 45th president of the United States.

"Originally I was supposed to perform directly after his first speech, and I had done that with Barack Obama before, so I was used to that kind of experience," she explained.

"And the woman who organised the event came and told me: 'Now you're going to go first and he's going to go after you.'

Michele added that it wasn't only Spike Lee that expressed his disapproval over her controversial gig, but she has fallen out with relatives, who didn't support her efforts to "be a bridge".

"I looked her in the eye and said: 'My family has disowned me. If you decide to Google me, you'll see that America is writing about me in their newspapers. I'm the black poster child for discord right now, and he's not going to shake my hand?"

While some may harbour feelings of regret, Michele said that the didn't "think twice" about accepting the performance invitation and is hopeful that their paths will eventually cross. She said: "I'd rather be optimistic and think that there'll come another chance where I can talk to him."

As for her celebrity detractors, the defiant singer is addressing their treatment of her in new track No Political Genius, which features on her forthcoming album Still American. The spoken word poem features the lines: "I am the black song Spike Lee won't sing. I am the black voice inauguration bells ring."

"I'm still black girl magic. I'm still American, tragic. "For John Lewis and Ben Carson, Questlove, Spike Lee, and before them, I won't divide now. That's not smart now. God before me, I won't back down. This is my damn America now."