Carrie Underwood wowed the world at President Trump’s inauguration on Monday, showing off her musical and professional talents.
Chosen to perform "America the Beautiful" at the 60th Presidential Inauguration Ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Underwood was escorted in and waited for her musical cue. Trump, his family, politicians, and celebrities were all in attendance.
The cue never came.
Standing in front of former President Biden, Underwood quickly realized the instrumental track wasn’t working. She didn’t miss a beat. "If you know the words, help me out here," she said before launching into an a cappella performance. Afterward, she clapped for the audience who joined in, then turned and shook Biden’s hand.
She shared brief moments with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance before leaving the room.
Social media exploded with praise for her handling of the mishap. "That was a super awkward moment, but Carrie Underwood worked through it like a champ!" one user wrote on X. "This was bad---," another commented.
One fan summed it up perfectly: "Now that is a flex. Imagine being so talented that when technology fails, you just go, ‘Fine, I’ll do it live!’ and crush it a cappella in front of thousands. Carrie Underwood doesn’t need auto-tune; auto-tune probably takes notes from her."
Another chimed in, "This pretty much sums up the spirit of America. When you're faced with a problem, you don't stop. You keep moving ahead – proudly. Kudos to @carrieunderwood. Well done!" Someone added, "She just demonstrated Trump’s words… We will overcome any challenge and win!"
Underwood, who typically stays away from politics, had confirmed her inauguration performance last week. "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," she said in a statement.
"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," she added.