Carrie Underwood is reportedly miffed she was not “afforded the same level of respect” as some singers at previous presidential inaugurations.
The American Idol alum performed America the Beautiful on Monday in Washington D.C. with the Armed Forces Chorus. But her rendition hit a snag when the music meant to accompany them didn’t play and the country music star was forced to make a change.
Underwood consulted an official before urging the crowd to help her out as she sang a cappella. “You know the words — help me out here,” she said.
Former president Joe Biden told her she did a “great job” as Underwood shook his hand.
After the snafu, 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 (per the New York Post). “So yes, spontaneously she sang a cappella with a few scattered voices.”
But following her performance, 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.
A second source told the outlet that “though her performance wasn’t ideal … she will eventually laugh about it and take it for what it was.”
They added that the Before He Cheats singer was still “proud” that she was “able to save it from being a total disaster.”
On social media, 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.”
Underwood never publicly supported Trump during his first presidency.
“I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” she told The Guardianin 2019. “Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”
But after she was asked to perform at Trump’s inauguration, Underwood 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.
Meanwhile, Jason Aldean, who performed a 30-minute set at the Liberty Ball Monday night, called Trump’s return a “big day for our country.”
“The last few years have been… kind of really divisive and just a lot of stuff going on, and I just hope this is kind of the beginning of a new era for our country and kind of get back on track,” the country music star said during an appearance on CBS Mornings.
Aldean praised Trump for wanting to do “great things” in his second term.
“I think the thing with President Trump is, I think he wants to do great things for the American people and the country,” Aldean said. “And he’s a guy that I feel like when he says something, he tries to get it done.
“I feel like a lot of times politicians will just tell you things — just to make it sound good. And I feel like he’s a guy that actually wants to go get it done.”