Carrie Underwood is scheduled to perform at Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration.
News broke of Underwood’s gig on Monday, January 13, after reporter Matthew Foldi shared a leaked copy of the program for the event via X.
On the paper, Underwood, 41, is listed as singing “America the Beautiful” during the January 20 inauguration and will be joined by the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
“I love our country & am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement, per a CNN correspondent. “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.”
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A spokesperson for the Presidential Inaugural Committee confirmed the news to Deadline. Us Weekly reached out to Underwood’s rep for comment.
The performance comes two months before Underwood is set to return to American Idol as a judge. ABC confirmed in August 2024 that Underwood would be taking over for Katy Perry on the show, joining Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” Underwood said in a video announcing her role. “I’m proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since.”
Executive producer Megan Wolflick opened up about why they chose Underwood, who won the reality singing competition in 2005.
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“Well, it is 20 years since she auditioned in St. Louis for American Idol, and to have the first-ever Idol alum on the panel has always been something that’s been interesting to me,” Wolflick told Entertainment Tonight at the time. “She is our queen, she is our icon of American Idol.”
Wolflick explained that they had been searching “and obviously talking to Carrie for a little bit here.” She added, “It has been a little over two months since the [season 22] finale, but these talks have been going on for a while and we’ve been really excited to make it all happen.”
Wolflick gushed that longtime host Ryan Seacrest, who has been on the show every season since the premiere, is looking forward to welcoming Underwood back.
“Ryan couldn’t be more excited, since he has been there every step of the way with Carrie,” Wolflick said. “He was like just over the moon about it.”
She continued, “It’s a new era of the show and every new chapter of American Idol. When we open up that first page, it is just as exciting as closing a chapter, and I cannot wait to embark on this journey with our first Idol alum with the panel.”
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