20 years ago, Carrie “Before He Cheats” Underwood etched her name in the books of the American Idol greats when she won season 4 of the once-famous competition. From then, until very recently, Underwood stood for equality… or so we thought.
Now that she’s infamously sided with Donald Trump by agreeing to perform at his inauguration, all eyes are now on another former American Idol, who was on the right side of history a decade ago!
Carrie Underwood’s shocking left turn
In case you missed it, the Trump-Vance inaugural committee announced on Monday that Carrie Underwood would be the headlining performer for next week’s inauguration ceremony. Underwood will be performing the song “America is Beautiful,” accompanied by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club right before president-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
In comes Kelly Clarkson, the inaugural winner of American Idol, whose performance of “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” at President Obama’s second inauguration is enjoying fresh new life on social media. Underwood’s decision to align herself with the incoming Trump administration has left many wondering where the country icon stands in terms of women’s rights, and the rights of marginalized communities all over the United States. Underwood has historically remained publicly apolitical, so this news came as a shocker to everyone.
Ironically, “Before He Cheats,” one of the best known country anthems, is a stark opposite to the ideals of the incoming POTUS, who has allegedly cheated on at least two of his three wives. Most of the internet has found humor in the irony of the situation, with many people expressing shock, but not necessarily disappointment. After all, Underwood hasn’t represented any political ideology throughout her career, and is now thought to be a “closeted Republican.”
Unsurprisingly, The View host Whoopi Goldberg, who has shared a lot of unusual takes on the show, expressed support for Underwood’s decision, saying “I stand behind her. If I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform someplace, I believe they have the same right. So I have to support.” However, she was quick to add that she personally wouldn’t be watching the ceremony.
Underwood put out a statement about her performance saying, “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.” As expected, she is now the subject of many memes and jokes, and is being unfavorably compared to Clarkson.
Now, the women will have another thing in common- performing at a president’s inauguration ceremony. “Kelly Clarkson would never,” is an ongoing rhetoric that’s been shared throughout X, while another person tweeted that Clarkson is the “best thing we ever voted for” and that “democracy peaked” when she won American Idol.
Clarkson, being the unproblematic and unbothered queen that she is, hasn’t commented on any of this. Her daytime talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show is in its sixth season, and she is currently living her best life as, “the greatest American Idol winner.”
Published: Jan 16, 2025 01:10 pm