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Just moments after newly inaugurated President Donald Trump delivered his first speech as the 47th President of the United States, country star Carrie Underwood took the stage to sing “America the Beautiful.”
The news of Carrie Underwood‘s participation in the inaugural event was announced last week and was met with mixed reactions from fans. The announcement came as a shock since the American Idol champ has stayed away from political appearances and statements over the course of her career.
In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Underwood said that she tries to avoid anything political and that people try to “pin” her to a particular political stance.
“I feel like more people try to pin me places politically,” she said at the time. “I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins. It’s crazy. Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it’s black and white. And it’s not like that.”
Shortly after it was announced that she was singing at Trump’s inauguration, Underwood released a statement saying that her participation was done in the “spirit of unity.”
“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. “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.”
Carrie Underwood‘s rendition of “America The Beautiful” was arguably one of the biggest highlights of Monday’s inaugural events.
Underwood, 41, looked stunning in a light gray, sleeveless dress as she took the stage in front of the Capitol building, where thousands had gathered to witness the historic event. After what appeared to be technical difficulties, Carrie chose to sing a beautiful a cappella rendition of “America the Beautiful” as many of the crowd sang along.
Video captured the moment Carrie told a staffer that she would “just sing it.”
Carrie’s appearance at today’s inauguration was met with both praise and intense backlash.
Underwood’s anti-Trump fans threatened to boycott her ahead of her performance and continued to criticize her afterward. But many others showed support and praised her for accepting the invitation, knowing that she would likely face criticism.
When it was all said and done, both sides agreed that Carrie’s performance was a beautiful addition to the history-making day. The “Jesus Take The Wheel” singer was praised for demonstrating grace under pressure as she handled technical difficulties like a pro.
