Queen to perform at the Oscars

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 2/18/2019, 6:54 p.m.
Less than one week until the Oscars, The Academy is still beefing up its list of performers, and its latest …
The Academy said on Monday that Queen, the band at the center of best picture nominee "Bohemian Rhapsody," is set to perform on the host-less telecast.

By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN

(CNN) -- Less than one week until the Oscars, The Academy is still beefing up its list of performers, and its latest addition, they hope, will rock you.

The Academy said on Monday that Queen, the band at the center of best picture nominee "Bohemian Rhapsody," is set to perform on the host-less telecast.

Adam Lambert, who famously got his start on "American Idol" and currently fills the vocal shoes of Freddie Mercury, tweeted, "We will rock The Oscars."

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is up for five Oscars on Sunday.

The Academy did not elaborate on how it planned to feature the Queen performance, but there had been rumors earlier this month that the group had been sought to open the show.

Also taking the stage on Sunday will be performers representing the nominees for best original song.

Jennifer Hudson will sing "I'll Fight" from "RBG," Gillian Welch and David Rawlings will duet on "When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings" from "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," and Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga will do "Shallow" from "A Star Is Born."

The Academy had previously announced a performance by "a surprise special guest" for "The Places I'll Go" from "Mary Poppins Returns." It was later revealed to be Bette Midler.

No announcement has officially been made regarding whether Kendrick Lamar and SZA will be performing the Oscar-nominated hit "All the Stars" from "Black Panther."

Variety reported last month that the Academy's original plans were to only have two nominated songs performed during the telecast, but in keeping with its track record this year, walked back on that decision after backlash.

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