The “Before He Cheats” singer will perform immediately prior to the noted cheater’s swearing-in during the festivities, which will take place in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20. Underwood will sing the patriotic anthem “America The Beautiful,” and her headlining slot was confirmed by the Trump-Vance inaugural committee on Monday. The singer, who has long kept her political views private, said in a statement that she is “honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event.”
Carrie Underwood statement:
— Elizabeth Wagmeister (@EWagmeister) January 13, 2025
“I love our country & am honored 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.” https://t.co/pzFsXt54hO
“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.” The spirit of unity… you know, like running for president on a platform of mass deportation? The American Idol alum isn’t the only music act to have been enlisted by Trump for the inauguration, with Underwood to be ed in her rendition by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club, the latter of which I imagine is led by Mr. Schuester in a sailor’s hat.
To his credit, Underwood is a much higher-profile musician than Trump was able to tap for his 2017 inauguration (hitherto known as the simpler times), with that event touting America’s Got Talent runner-up Jackie Evancho as its biggest name. Yep, he couldn’t even get the winner. Whatever the case, I hope part of Trump’s inauguration isn’t dedicated to an impromptu dance party, since we already know how that will go.
For his part, classical crossover singer Christopher D. Macchio is scheduled to perform an as-yet unnamed “musical selection” just ahead of JD Vance’s swearing in, and long before he goes home to celebrate with his couch. Underwood’s headlining slot seems to contradict her years-long quest to remain apolitical, with a few possible exceptions. “I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,” the singer told The Guardian in 2019. “Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white.”
Aside from that, Underwood also seemed to dip into politics in 2021, when her then-Twitter (RIP) appeared to “like” a post opposing the COVID-19 mask mandates. The announcement of Underwood’s inauguration performance has lit a firestorm on social media, with many fans surprised of her seeming for the president-elect and going as far as “boycotting all her music,” one X wrote.
Carrie Underwood is preforming at Trump’s inauguration so I’m blocking her on all apps and boycotting all her music. 😡 pic.twitter.com/bkZuNNeil4
— Suzie rizzo (@Suzierizzo1) January 13, 2025
Kelly Clarkson knowing that she just further cemented her legacy as the greatest American Idol winner after this Carrie Underwood Trump inauguration news dropped. pic.twitter.com/lknuEyHpqp
— Mike Fatone (@MikeFatone) January 13, 2025
Kelly Clarkson would NEVER
— BRE (@brethawriter) January 13, 2025
Others invoked the names of Underwood’s fellow American Idol alums, saying “Kelly Clarkson would never” and that the “Since U Been Gone” singer “cemented her legacy as the greatest American Idol winner” in the wake of Underwood’s inauguration gig. Others called out the hypocrisy of the “Before He Cheats” singer’s involvement in celebrating “a man who has cheated on every wife he’s had,” or otherwise expressed relief that they are “not a Carrie Underwood fan.”
Because what if Carrie Underwood go to that inauguration and remix “Before He Cheats” to “Because He Cheats” pic.twitter.com/cuChzR5jEc
— No Chloe Bailey Slander Formed, Shall Prosper (@Impermanent_D6) January 13, 2025
Phew, glad I'm not a Carrie Underwood fan.
— Matt (@nosoupforgeorge) January 13, 2025
Carrie underwood you are most famous for singing about keying the car of a man who cheated!!!! And you’re now performing for a man who has cheated on every wife he’s had and has cheated the country out of peace and common sense governing!!!! Girl gfy
— Anna (@vegannabananna) January 13, 2025
However her performance turns out, we can rest assured that Trump will drastically inflate the crowd numbers for his inauguration, and probably claim Underwood is the most-streamed artist on Spotify of all time. Of course, that title actually belongs to Taylor Swift, but we know for sure she won’t be anywhere near the event, for obvious reasons.
Published: Jan 13, 2025 06:14 pm