Fabrice "Fab" Morvan, one half of the former pop duo Milli Vanilli, plans to perform at a concert series tied to celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the United States in Washington though a string of other artists are pulling out.
The 16-day national exposition taking place June 25 through July 10, 2026, on the National Mall includes live entertainment, exhibits and family-friendly attractions throughout Washington DC, the organizers say.
The Great American State Fair aims to bring together all 56 US states and territories in a World Fair-style celebration of the nation's 250th birthday.
The fair is to feature mainstage performances by artists every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night and the first wave of participants, performers and speakers has just been announced.
As some artists cancel appearances, others are sticking with the plan.
“I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them. Let’s celebrate life & music and take a trip down memory lane," Morvan says in a statement to media outlets including Rolling Stone.
Other artists who have so far maintained their commitments to the Great American State Fair concert series on Washington National Mall include rappers Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida.
The concerts are being organized by a self-described non-profit group dedicated to anniversary celebrations in the US capital, although the broader festivities stem from a call by President Donald Trump.
Shortly afterwards, several performers withdrew, including The Commodores, the former band of singer Lionel Richie, country singer Martina McBride and Poison frontman Bret Michaels.
The artists said the event, which organizers describe as non-partisan, had become too politically charged.
“Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of," Michaels wrote on Instagram
Milli Vanilli, the pop duo formed by German music producer Frank Farian, rose to fame in the late 1980s. Their disco-pop hits "Girl You Know It's True" and "Blame It On The Rain" were international chart-toppers before the duo became embroiled in one of music's biggest scandals.
The Grammy Award won by Robert "Rob" Pilatus and Morvan in 1990 was later revoked after it emerged that the pair had not sung on their recordings but had lip-synced to the voices of other performers.
The singers whose voices were actually used on Milli Vanilli recordings — Jodie and Linda Rocco, Brad Howell, John Davis and Charles Shaw — also distanced themselves from the Washington performance in a post on X.
