The singer rose to fame in the early 2000s, becoming a hot commodity in the industry by collaborating with artists like Jay-Z, Nas, The Roots, will.i.am. and Rick Ross. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worst when Michele performed at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2017.  In a recent interview with The Guardian, the Grammy winner reflected on the controversy. Although her political views differ from Trump, she accepted the invitation to sing because she felt a deep pride in being an American. More importantly, she hoped to serve as a “bridge” a divide.

“When it comes to singing overseas for the troops or at the DNC, I don’t take it for granted,” Michele told The Guardian. “I’m proud to be an American, always have been since I was a kid — and that’s a very difficult thing to say as a Black woman.”

Minutes after she exited the stage, she says she began receiving death threats. Quest Love, Spike Lee and others ridiculed her for her decision and vowed not to work with her while the public shunned her.

“I just remember sitting in a hotel lobby next to my manager, who was my husband of two years at the time, in tears, thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll just become a professor,'” she said. “The constant gnawing and chewing and shouting at me was so difficult.”

Along with Nelly, Snoop Dogg, who dissed Trump multiple times during his first term faced backlash for participating in this year’s inauguration ceremonies. However, both rappers are still getting event invites, haven’t any partnerships and aren’t being ousted from the music industry. Nelly is embarking on a world tour in March, while Snoop appeared in a Super Bowl PSA ad telling viewers to “stand up to hate.”

“My initial reaction was, ‘Isn’t it nice to see Black men dancing in America so unapologetically?'” Michele said.

“I guess I wasn’t so masculine in my way of saying, ‘You don’t get to tell me what to do,'” she added. “I just did what I thought was right. I didn’t shout at anybody and tell them not to say what they think.”

In hindsight, Michele wishes she’d channeled their swagger and shut down her critics. Still, she feels remorse over signing on for that inaugural gig.

“For about four or five years, I hated the word resilient,” she admitted, “because it meant I got cancelled and got back up. But now I embrace it because it means you kept going, and people stuck with you and you’re here now.”