On Sunday night, the Grammys’ red carpet offered up the predictable glitzy fashion fair, even when it came to the more outlandish looks (Cee-Lo Green and Lady Gaga). One shocker, though, was that Joy Villa’s “Make America Great Again” dress — a bold political statement that undoubtedly leaned to the right of most of the crowd strutting down the red carpet — actually helped skyrocket the singer’s 2014 album sales.
Villa’s three-year-old rock album, I Make the Static, shot to the top of Amazon’s paid album charts on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Villa, who is known for her eye-popping award-show outfits, explained via social media that her fashion choice was far from tongue in cheek — it was an unequivocal pro-Trump statement. “You can either stand for what you believe in or fall for what you don’t,” she wrote in an Instagram post, adding “agree to disagree.”
The red, white and blue mermaid gown, which featured the Trump administration’s trademarked slogan “Make America Great Again,” was designed by Andre Soriano, a Filipino-born American designer and former reality show contestant.
Soriano, who also designed the orange “fence” dress Villa wore to the 2015 Grammys, echoed the singer’s views in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter.
“[Villa] is one of the people on this planet that really promotes love,” Soriano said. “We need to move this country forward, and we believe it’s time to promote love. We only live once, and we need to promote love. We have one president now who is going to do the best thing for planet America.”
Soriano said the dress’s inspiration was somewhat unconventional. He mentioned hearing “that somebody wanted to bomb the White House” and watching the Women’s March.
“I’m like, ‘Joy, We have to make a statement on what is right for our country, of what we believe in, for the Constitution,’” said Soriano.
