Fresh off the news that Carrie Underwood allegedly threw a “hissy fit” after she suffered a snafu at Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday, the Daily Mail is now reporting that she made a staggering list of demands before agreeing to appear.
According to the outlet, Underwood reportedly had a long list of requests before she signed on to sing America the Beautiful at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
“Carrie was the inauguration day diva,” an insider told the DailyMail.com. “She’d been telling anyone who wanted to listen that Trump called her personally to ask her to perform. She hired an army of security, was requesting a handmade designer dress for the performance, and demanded she be allowed a team of 20.”
The Mail’s source went on to add that the American Idol alum asked for additional tickets for her family and friends to attend the event.
Underwood’s rendition of the song was hit with technical difficulties that delayed her performance and she ultimately sang America the Beautiful a cappella, urging the crowd to help her out as she sang. “You know the words — help me out here,” she said.
After the hiccup, Today host Savannah Guthrie addressed the incident during NBC’s coverage of Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“We just have to mention an unplanned part of the ceremony that took place a few moments ago. There was a pause right before Carrie Underwood was meant to sing. It seems as though there was some kind of problem with the accompaniment of the band that was supposed to play along with her,” Guthrie told viewers.
Following the song, an insider told the Daily Mail that Underwood was left fuming that she didn’t get a “stage or platform” like other past performers.
“Carrie was dissatisfied with her performance at the event, primarily due to the limited space she was given, which left her feeling cramped and uncomfortable,” an insider explained.
The Mail’s source added: “Her anxiety was high throughout the performance, and she felt that she was not afforded the same level of respect or admiration that previous performers, such as Beyonce and Lady Gaga, had received. She felt as if she was ushered in and out and had a mini hissy fit afterwards.”
The insider said the eight-time Grammy winner was further thrown off because she is used to playing on a big stage all to herself.
“She felt like she was literally just in a room with people all around her and a microphone. This threw off the acoustics,” they said.
On social media, many fans praised Underwood for keeping her composure with one commenter calling her “a class act” while another hailed her version of the song as “absolutely gracious.”
Conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly called Underwood a “real talent.”
“Not like so many of these pre-fab auto-tuned stars of today,” she wrote on X. “Carrie Underwood shows us how it’s done.”
But at least one notable name was not a fan. Internet personality Evan Ross Katz threw some shade Underwood’s way with a dig that was a subtle nod to RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Montrese, who famously told one contestant to “find the note” in a past episode.
“Kamala Harris evoking Coco Montrese (‘Girl, find the note’) watching Carrie Underwood at today’s chilling Inauguration,” Katz captioned a photo shared with his 391,000 followers on Instagram,
His post garnered over 26,000 likes, with pop star Ariana Grande among those hearting his message, according to screengrabs shared by PEOPLE and BuzzFeed.
In the run-up to America’s November election, Grande had endorsed Vice-President Harris. After she was defeated by Trump, Grande wrote on her Instagram Stories, “Holding the hand of every person who is feeling the immeasurable heaviness of this outcome today.”
After she was asked to perform at Trump’s inauguration, Underwood, who has kept quiet about her political beliefs, said she was “honoured” to be included.
“I love our country and am honoured to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event. I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future,” she said in a statement.
But after her appearance received a mixed reaction online, fellow performer Lee Greenwood came to Underwood’s defence.
“Carrie Underwood is a great artist,” the God Bless the USA singer told Fox News Digital. “For those people who have something negative to say, I say keep it to yourself. Don’t attack a friend of mine who is here for the same reason as I am to inaugurate the 47th President of the United States.”
During an episode of the Amy & T.J. podcast last week, T.J. Holmes also backed the pop star.
“It’s an American event, it’s a patriotic event in a lot of ways, and it’s just a beautiful event that happens every four years in this country. To participate in it, who wouldn’t say yes to that? Does it matter who the president is? Can you not participate because people have an issue with politics or the policies or the person?” Holmes said.
Meanwhile, country star John Rich called Underwood a “Patriot” for joining Trump onstage in Washington.
“There are several top tier country artists who support Trump, and I wish they’d finally have the balls to come forward and be counted. Ain’t nothing outlaw about keeping your mouth shut to appease the record label. Carrie Underwood is making you look like a bunch of sissy boys,” he wrote in a post shared to X.