Carrie Underwood’s Inauguration Mystery: Why Fans Are Still Debating the Truth Behind Her 2017 Performance.LC
Carrie Underwood’s performance at Donald Trump‘s inauguration made headlines for a myriad of reasons: the criticism she received, the audio mishap during her set, her alleged Kamala Harris “snub,” her powerful a cappella vocals. Now, inquiring minds want to know: How much was she paid for her performance?
The 41-year-old country star belted out a memorable rendition of “America the Beautiful” at inauguration on Monday, January 20, during which Trump, 78, was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. Underwood notably delivered the performance a cappella, as the audio equipment failed for her set.
Carrie Underwood performs “America the Beautiful” after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th US President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Wash… | Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Getty Images/Getty Images
While the “Damage” artist’s performance was one of the most talked-about moments of the inauguration — during an event where so many moments went viral — per Taste of Country, Underwood likely didn’t receive a paycheck for her set, as artists are typically not paid for inauguration performances, though travel and other expenses may be covered.
Such was the case for the artists who performed at Barack Obama‘s 2009 inauguration, Erik Smith — the creative director for both of Obama’s inaugurations — told Billboard in 2021.
“What we were telling artists was, ‘You’re invited to perform. You’re not getting paid. Your band’s not getting paid. You get one hotel room and two tickets,'” Smith told the outlet. “We were limited in our resources.”
It’s not clear if the same standards were applied in 2025.
Still, the “Before He Cheats” singer, who just performed on a national, if not international, stage, isn’t hurting for money. Per Celeb Net Worth, Underwood has a net worth of $120 million.
The Oklahoma native’s performance left both fans and celebrities divided, with at least two high-profile stars — Ariana Grande and Mandy Moore — “liking” an Instagram post insinuating Underwood was off-key. Many of Underwood’s fellow country stars, for their part, praised her for her last-minute a cappella set.
Underwood initially announced that she would be performing at the inauguration earlier this month — a polarizing decision that left many fans disappointed while others cheered.
For her part, Underwood told Newsweek in a statement at the time: “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. 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.”
Correction 1/24/25 12:00 p.m. ET: The headline of this article was updated to reflect the uncertain nature of what Underwood was or was not paid. Additional information was also added to the article.
