Country singer Carrie Underwood's rendition of "America the Beautiful" inside the Capitol rotunda after Republican President Donald Trump was sworn in on Monday hit a technical snag when she was forced to sing a cappella.
The American Idol alum managed to do what any other trained, professional singer would under the circumstances and expertly sang live without the expected backing music track.
The show must go on, as they say, and the "Jesus, Take the Wheel" hitmaker navigated the roadblock smoothly to the end, from "sea to shining seaaaaa."
- YouTubeyoutu.be
However, Underwood was reportedly not pleased with the overall experience.
According to The Daily Mail, sources divulged that Underwood allegedly pitched a "hissy fit" after singing and complained of not being "afforded the same level of respect" as other artists like fellow chart toppers Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.
The outlet was informed that the singer was also "furious" that she wasn't provided with an elevated "stage or platform."
This may have been due to scrambling with last-minute logistics.
Because Monday's inauguration day was expected to drop to frigid temperatures, the ceremony was moved indoors from its original location outside at the west front of the U.S. Capitol, facing the National Mall.
The decision was made apparently with input from Trump's bestie, musician Kid Rock, over a phone call.
While anything can happen with live performances, the venue switcheroo didn't help with any anxiety Underwood might have faced, and she wound up feeling slighted while performing on the same level in front of the sworn-in President and his cohorts, as well as the former Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The insider continued:
"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 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 Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, had received."
"She felt as if she was ushered in and out and had a mini hissy fit afterwards."
Lady Gaga sang the National Anthem at Biden's 2021 inauguration ceremony while Beyoncé sang the patriotic tune in 2013 for Democratic President Barack Obama's second inauguration.
Both performances were not necessarily on stages or platforms but at a prominent position on the first landing at the steps outside the US Capitol.
The insider noted that Underwood was "used to playing at massive venues with a stage to herself," and the situation made her feel like she was "literally just in a room with people all around her and a microphone."
"This threw off the acoustics," the source added.
A second source weighed in, telling the news outlet:
"Though her performance wasn't ideal, nor was it what she wanted it to be as she wanted it to go down without a hitch, the fact that there was some awkwardness getting things going just added to the unique nature of it all."
They stated that Underwood would "eventually laugh" about the experience in retrospect and "take it for what it was."
"But she is disappointed that it wasn't more of a moment as the moment she was searching for got altered with the technical difficulties," the source said.
They added:
"Though it isn't her day, and she just wanted to add to the day and not upstage anything, she was annoyed of how it turned out."
One fan ignored the hubbub and focused on Underwood's good performance despite its rough start.
Underwood faced backlash after her performance at Trump's inauguration for a second term as President was announced.
Former fans who expressed disappointment in her support of Trump canceled the singer and flooded her social media with hateful messages.
“You showing support for this clown has been a huge gut punch and I am just so disappointed. No thanks," wrote one fan.
She also lost some of her LGBTQ+ fanbase. “Don’t ever call yourself an LGBTQ ally again, you’re supporting the man that wants to abolish LGBTQ rights, you should be ashamed," wrote an incensed Instagrammer.
Before her appearance in Washington D.C., Underwood did not publicly endorse either candidate in the 2024 election.
u/Duskymoonlight/Reddit
u/Duskymoonlight/Reddit