According to an informant, Carrie Underwood became “furious” and had a “mini hissy fit” when her performance at Donald Trump’s inaugural didn’t go as planned. As a result, the singer was dubbed the “inauguration day diva.”
Alongside the United States Naval Academy Glee Club and the Armed Forces Chorus, country music icon Carrie Underwood performed “America the Beautiful” on January 20 at the largest stage in the world in Washington, D.C.
But things did not go as planned during the concert. The American Idol graduate had to make quick decisions when the accompanying music stopped playing, which transformed an awkward scenario into a vocal masterclass.
Underwood, 41, took charge of the issue by addressing the audience and urging them to join in, saying, “If you know the words, help me out here.”
Her spontaneous a cappella performance was praised, demonstrating once more why she is one of the biggest names in country music.
“Day of the inauguration, diva”
The singer, known as the “inauguration day diva,” had a completely different experience backstage.
She was bragging to “anyone who wanted to listen that Trump called her personally to ask her to perform,” the Daily Mail reported.
However, she had a few behind-the-scenes obstacles despite receiving a personal invitation.
According to an unidentified source who spoke to the U.S. Sun, the Grammy-winning performer was first made to wear an off-the-rack outfit rather of the expensive gown she had anticipated receiving from “the administration or the designer.”
According to the insider, “she expected to be dressed in something couture, or at least something custom.” That didn’t happen either. Carrie ultimately wore cheap shoes and a $300 dress that she bought off the rack.
Few visitors
The “Somethin’ Bad” singer apparently had a far smaller entourage than she had imagined, which adds to the list of unanticipated surprises. The insider told the Sun that she was “not happy about” the reduction in the guest list that resulted from the event being moved indoors, which limited the number of individuals she could bring.
She employed a horde of guards.and insisted that she be given a 20-person team. Naturally, she also insisted on getting tickets for her friends and family, a different insider informed the Daily Mail.
But it didn’t stop there.
Putting together a catastrophe
In addition to her smaller entourage, wardrobe setbacks, and technical issues, rumors indicate that Underwood was not happy with how her performance was staged.
Carrie Underwood 'made diva demands' for Donald Trump inauguration performancehttps://t.co/2ye4rydD1l pic.twitter.com/T3oPMB9hwF
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) January 21, 2025
The singer of “Jesus, Take the Wheel” was “furious,” according to the Daily Mail, that she did not receive the “same level of respect” as other singers, such as Lady Gaga, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021.
According to the source, “Carrie was unhappy with her performance at the event, mainly because of the limited space she was given, which left her feeling cramped and uncomfortable.” “She felt that she was not given the same amount of respect or admiration that previous performers, like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, had received, and her anxiety was high throughout the performance.” Beyoncé performed the national anthem of the United States during the inauguration of Barack Obama in 2013.
“She is accustomed to performing at large venues with a stage all to herself,” the tipster went on. She was not even provided with a podium or a stage. She had the impression that she was in a room with a microphone and people all around her. The acoustics were disrupted by this.
“She had a mini hissy fit after feeling like she was ushered in and out,” the person continued.
Carrie Underwood’s performance in Washington, D.C., was full of unexpected turns, but she overcame them all to give a strong vocal performance that impressed both critics and fans.
