Carrie Underwood has been all over our TV screens lately as a new judge for American Idol, performing before the Times Square ball drop on New Year’s Eve and, most famously, singing the national anthem at Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. The country singer-songwriter has always played it close the vest when it comes to her political views, neither confirming nor denying her party affiliation, so her choice to sing “America the Beautiful” to celebrate Trump’s presidency baffled fans.
Her performance was plagued with technical problems. Unexpected glitches forced her to sing a cappella, and rumors swirled that she was “furious” over a rinky-dink setup without a stage or platform inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda.
Whether it was her alleged diva behavior or her surprising support for Trump, the backlash was swift as folks dragged her through the social media mud and boycotted her music. On Inauguration Day, her streaming numbers dipped by 6 percent, according to entertainment data analysts Luminate, and fans lashed out online.
It seems the storm has not blown over. “American Idol” ratings have dropped dramatically compared to the previous season, and industry insiders have, well, theories.
People behind the scenes who spoke to RadarOnline are concerned about the sudden slide in viewership and are reportedly pointing their fingers at Underwood, the gossip site claims. “Some fans didn’t love that she sang for President Trump. It’s alienated part of the audience,” a source purportedly told the outlet. Another chimed in, “There’s a growing feeling she’s overexposed — or maybe just not connecting with younger viewers.”
A former “Idol” producer painted a different picture, telling the outlet that “American Idol” simply needs to freshen up its format: “The format feels tired now. The show hasn’t reinvented itself in years. Even diehard fans are drifting away.”
According to the U.S. Sun, slightly more than 4.5 million viewers tuned into the “American Idol” March 16 episode, 800,000 fewer than rival show “The Voice.” The ratings have continued to plummet, with 4 million people watching the March 23 episode and even fewer tuning into the normally popular “Hollywood Week Part 1” episode on March 31.
Underwood was brought on as a judge to replace Katy Perry and is reportedly making $10 million a season, which is less than fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, both veterans of the show for seven seasons. Still, her reported diva behavior when the cameras aren’t rolling has again landed the songstress in the hot seat. “She’s making it very clear that she wants the VIP treatment,” RadarOnline reported. “Word is, she wants plenty of staff, limo service, all her favorite foods, even the temperature to be a certain way,” a source said off the record.
Meanwhile, it’s been ten weeks since the Inauguration, and the comments are still coming in fast and furious on the official “American Idol” Instagram.
“Beautiful voice, cool personality, but imho, she made a big mistake singing at the inauguration of a man who seems to be hellbent to keep us divided, and destroy American democracy. And kindness,” wrote one commenter. “I used to like her but when I learned that she supports the felon in the WH, forget about her!” said another.
But for every negative comment, there’s also one of support for the “Jesus, Take the Wheel” singer who shot to stardom 20 years ago when she won “American Idol” as an unknown 21-year-old contestant.
Just don’t expect Underwood to confirm her political views anytime soon. As she once told The Guardian in 2019, “I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins.”
