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As many know, convicted felon Donald Trump's inauguration took place on Monday, marking his official swearing-in as the 47th president of the United States.
This marks Trump’s second term in office — and notably, no celebrities performed at his first inauguration in 2017. Instead, 'America the Beautiful' was sung by The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
When it was announced that country music star and 2005 American Idol winner Carrie Underwood would perform at last night’s event, it ignited significant backlash.
Craig T Fruchtman / WireImage
Carrie was heavily criticized by fans for getting involved with Trump’s controversial return to presidency.
At the time, she attempted to justify her decision in a statement that read: "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,” she added.
But when the big day arrived, Carrie’s moment was blighted by technical issues.
Pool / Getty Images
The singer was supposed to sing “America the Beautiful” with the Armed Forces Chorus; however, when the time came, a 30-second silence ensued.
Then, the music briefly began to play before quickly cutting out again, with Carrie not even having the chance to start singing.
After an uncomfortable silence, Carrie chose to sing a cappella, urging the audience, 'If you know the words, help me out here.'
Pool / Getty Images
Not all viewers at home were impressed by the performance, including Ariana Grande, who was spotted liking a critical Instagram post about Carrie’s singing.
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Internet personality Evan Ross Katz posted a photo of outgoing vice president Kamala Harris standing behind Carrie during the performance to his popular Instagram account, which has 390k followers. In the caption, Evan referenced a moment from RuPaul’s Drag Race, where contestant Coco Montrese critiqued another queen’s performance, saying: 'Girl, find the note.' He wrote: 'Kamala Harris evoking Coco Montrese (‘Girl, find the note’) watching Carrie Underwood at today’s chilling Inauguration.'
Before long, Ariana, who frequently engages with Evan’s Instagram, openly liked the post, implying her agreement with its message.
Instagram @evanrosskatz / Via instagram.com
If you need reminding, Ariana supported Kamala Harris during the election and offered her condolences to followers when Trump’s victory was announced. She wrote on her Instagram story at the time, 'Holding the hand of every person who is feeling the immeasurable heaviness of this outcome today,' sharing resources for LGBTQ+ communities. Ariana also posted similar resources ahead of the inauguration on Monday. Meanwhile, Carrie has not publicly commented on the discussions surrounding her vocal performance.
