Who is Carrie Underwood, the country star who will sing at Donald Trump’s inauguration?

Carrie Underwood, 41, from Muskogee, Oklahoma, has long been a household name in the United States and the world of country music. Her vocal talent and strong work ethic propelled her to stardom when she won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Following her victory, her artistic and professional growth cemented her as one of the most prominent artists of her generation, with nine studio albums and over 85 million records sold.

Despite her prolific career, which has largely been confined to the U.S., her fame has gradually faded in recent years. For example, while her latest album was released in 2023, none of her singles have appeared on the most-streamed charts in over a decade. However, things may be about to change. Two decades after her debut, Underwood is back in the spotlight, thanks to Donald Trump. The president-elect has chosen her to sing at his second inauguration. On January 20, she will perform America the Beautiful on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Despite not currently enjoying much media exposure, Underwood is one of the most successful female artists in country music. With a 20-year musical career, she first gained prominence with her debut album, Some Hearts, released in 2005. This album became the fastest-selling debut by a country artist in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America and holds the record for the highest sales by a former American Idol contestant. It also made it into the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart.

This milestone was followed by eight Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards — three of which were for Artist of the Year — 25 CMT Music Awards, 17 American Music Awards, 10 People’s Choice Awards, and seven Country Music Association (CMA) awards. In 2018, she was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her hits, which have resonated beyond the country music world, include Inside Your Heaven, Before He Cheats, Jesus, Take the Wheel, and Cowboy Casanova.

Underwood’s career extends beyond music. In 2020, driven by her passion for health and wellness, she launched her fitness app, fit52, and authored her first fitness book, Find Your Path. She has also become a familiar face on NBC, starring in the opening segment of Sunday Night Football for 12 consecutive seasons. In spring 2025, to mark the 20th anniversary of her American Idol victory, Underwood will join the judging panel for the eighth season of the show.

On a personal level, Underwood’s past relationships included a brief romance with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in 2007 and a short-lived fling with actor Chace Crawford in 2008. Later that year, she met ice hockey player Mike Fisher, whom she married in 2010. The couple has two sons, Isaiah, 8, and Jacob, 5. Despite her fame, Underwood keeps her private life mostly to herself, sharing little about her family with her 13 million Instagram followers.

Underwood has always maintained a publicly apolitical stance. “I feel like more people try to pin me places politically,” she said in a 2019 interview with The Guardian. “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.”

During the 2016 election campaign, which saw Trump emerge victorious, she told Rolling Stone: “I don’t want people to vote for somebody because I told them to. “I want them to find out about things that they are passionate about and what’s important to them and look at different candidates and policies. And try to make their own decisions on that.”

Given her past statements and the fact that she has stayed away from political issues, Underwood decision to agree to perform at Trump’s inauguration has ignited a storm on social media. While some Republican users celebrate her participation, many Democrats criticize her for aligning with Trump and his controversial policies.

“ANY woman who supports a regime that denies a woman’s right to choose, should be ashamed,” posted one user on the singer’s Instagram account. While another said: “We love you no matter who you sing for.”

Her decision has also angered the LGTBQ+ community, given her previous support for same-sex marriage. One fan posted: “Supporter of gay rights but performing for Trump’s inauguration? You showed your true colors.”

Along with the criticism, a 2017 clip of Underwood mocking the future U.S. president has resurfaced. In the video, Underwood performs a parody of her hit song Before He Cheats at the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards alongside singer-songwriter Brad Paisley. They replaced the song’s signature chorus with the phrase “before he tweets,” singing, “And it’s fun to watch, that’s for sure / Until little Rocket Man starts a nuclear war / And then maybe next time, he’ll think before he tweets.”

Underwood has also publicly supported various social causes. One of her most notable actions was in 2013 when she condemned animal abuse and cruelty, taking a stand against a bill in Tennessee that made it harder to record and report cases of animal cruelty.

Underwood has not made any announcement about her upcoming performance on her social media. However, she did issue a statement to American media outlets such as People and Variety. “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 the 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.”

Underwood will be joined on stage by the United States Armed Forces Chorus and the Naval Academy Choir (commonly known as the Glee Club).

The inauguration will also feature opera singer Christopher Macchio, who will sing the national anthem, and the Village People, known for 1970s hits as Y.M.C.A., which is widely considered a gay anthem — though the song’s frontman and co-writer Victor Willis has said he will sue anyone who claims it is linked to LGBTQ+ culture. This song became a staple at Trump’s rallies during the last election.

This time, the lineup of performers for Trump’s inauguration is more high-profile than the one for his first inauguration in January 2017. At that time, many entertainment industry figures were hesitant to align themselves with Trump. The most notable performer at the Republican’s first inauguration was America’s Got Talent finalist Jackie Evancho. In contrast, at Democrat Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration, Lady Gaga performed the national anthem, and Jennifer Lopez performed in the East Wing of Congress. Meanwhile, Beyoncé sung at president Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013.

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