Carrie Underwood Reportedly Had a Heated Reaction Backstage After Her Inauguration Performance

Carrie Underwood probably had a vision of how her version of “America the Beautiful” would be received after accepting Donald Trump’s invitation to perform at his Jan. 20 inauguration. The majestic views of the Capitol overlooking the crowds and singing a patriotic song were likely what the 41-year-old country singer had in mind — instead, it was a scaled-down venue with a few technical hiccups.

Underwood was reportedly not thrilled as how her rendition went down, according to the Daily Mail. She allegedly felt that she was not “afforded the same level of respect” as other singers have in the past, including “Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.” “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,” a source revealed.

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There was no elevated platform, so the American Idol winner “felt as if she was ushered in and out and had a mini hissy fit afterwards.” The insider added, “She felt like she was literally just in a room with people all around her and a microphone. This threw off the acoustics.” Underwood probably also didn’t expect the technical hiccups when it came to the music.

Underwood was forced to improvise and sing a cappella after there was a music glitch and several minutes of awkward silence. “You know the words — help me out here,” she told the crowd as she sang an abbreviated version of the song. It was a real-life moment of “the show must go on” and Underwood did her best to save the day — but that doesn’t mean she was happy with how the situation unfolded.

It seems like she would rather forget the entire event. In addition to not sharing the news with her Instagram followers ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration, Underwood did not upload any post-event photos or commentary. Her silence speaks volumes after her decision to perform for Donald Trump brought some criticism from fans who thought she should have stayed out of the political discourse. Instead, she leaned into the controversy.

“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement to Today on Jan. 13. “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.”

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