When her performance at Donald Trump’s inauguration didn’t go as planned, an insider claims that Carrie Underwood was “furious” and had a “mini hissy fit,” earning the singer the title of “inauguration day diva.”
On January 20, country music star Carrie Underwood stepped on the world’s biggest stage in Washington D.C. to perform “America the Beautiful” alongside the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
However, the performance did not go as planned. When the accompanying music failed to play, the American Idol alum had to think on her feet, turning an awkward situation into a display of vocal brilliance.
Taking control of the situation, Underwood, 41, addressed the crowd and encouraged them to sing along: “If you know the words, help me out here,” she said.
Her impromptu a cappella rendition was met with admiration, proving once again why she is one of country music’s biggest stars.
‘Inauguration day diva’
Backstage, however, things were very different with the star, who was called the “inauguration day diva.”
According to the Daily Mail, she was boasting to “anyone who wanted to listen that Trump called her personally to ask her to perform.”
But her personal invitation didn’t spare her from several behind-the-scene hiccups.
First, the Grammy-winning artist was forced to wear an off-the-rack dress, instead of the high-end gown she was expecting to be provided by “the administration or the designer,” an anonymous source tells the U.S. Sun.
“She was expecting to be dressed in something custom and at the very least something couture,” the insider said. “That also did not happen. Carrie ended up wearing a $300 dress off the rack and discounted shoes.”
Limited guests
Adding to the list of unexpected changes, the “Somethin’ Bad” singer reportedly found herself with a much smaller entourage than she had anticipated. Due to the event being moved indoors, the guest list was cut down, limiting how many people she could bring with her – “something she was not happy about,” the insider told the Sun.
“She hired an army of security…and demanded she be allowed a team of 20. She of course demanded tickets for her family and friends on top of that as well,” a separate source told the Daily Mail.
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It didn’t end there.
Staging a disaster
Beyond her shrunken entourage, technical difficulties and wardrobe disappointments, reports suggest that Underwood was also dissatisfied with the staging of her performance.
Carrie Underwood 'made diva demands' for Donald Trump inauguration performancehttps://t.co/2ye4rydD1l pic.twitter.com/T3oPMB9hwF
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) January 21, 2025
According to the Daily Mail, the “Jesus, Take the Wheel” singer was “furious” that she was not treated with the “same level of respect” as other performers, like Lady Gaga, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021.
“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,” the source claimed. “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 Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, had received.” Beyoncé sang the U.S. national anthem at Barack Obama’s 2013 presidential inauguration.
The tipster continued, “She is used to playing at massive venues with a stage to herself. She was not given a stage or a platform even. She felt like she was literally just in a room with people all around her and a microphone. This threw off the acoustics.”
The insider added, “She felt as if she was ushered in and out and had a mini hissy fit afterwards.”
Carrie Underwood’s show in Washington D.C. was filled with unexpected twists, yet she managed to rise above it all, delivering a powerful vocal performance that left an impression on fans and critics alike.
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