Why Carrie Underwood Is Coming Under Fire on TikTok Right Now

Carrie Underwood is coming under fire online right now. The singer is under renewed public scrutiny following her on-camera reaction during the Season 23 finale of American Idol where Jamal Roberts won. A now-viral TikTok rumor about her dropping out of a country music festival is fueling the controversy.

This all began after Mississippi teacher Roberts was crowned the winner of this season's American Idol on May 18, 2025, becoming just the second Black man to win the competition in its 22-year history. While the moment was widely celebrated online, many viewers noted they saw a noticeably unenthusiastic reaction from Underwood during the live broadcast, including not personally congratulating him unlike the other judges.

Underwood later posted a photo with Roberts on Instagram and X, calling expressing pride in his accomplishments. She wrote, "he has accomplished this season and I can’t wait to see what mountains he climbs next." However, critics online accused the country star of backtracking. Several fans noted that throughout the season, Underwood’s critiques of Roberts seemed unfair and targeted. 

Notably, Underwood performed at President Donald Trump's January 2025 inauguration ceremony, where she shook top officials' hands but seemingly snubbed former Vice President Kamala Harris, sparking more discussion about her racially suggestive behavior.

The current conversations on Underwood's biases escalated further on TikTok after a Facebook screenshot began circulating this past week, alleging that Underwood had dropped out of a country music festival this summer because Beyoncé was also set to perform. For context: Beyoncé's historic 2025 Grammy wins of Best Country Album and Album of The Year with her Cowboy Carter, after being shut out of the genre, sparked debate among certain musicians and fans claiming the album wasn't traditional enough.

Despite the post gaining traction, there is no evidence to support this claim, and it appears to be false. (After all, Queen Bey is on tour right now and not set to perform at any music festivals this summer.) Still, the rumor has sparked broader discussions around Underwood’s past political associations—including her performance at Trump's inauguration—and whether her public persona aligns with her allegedly more conservative, racially insensitive ideologies.

The singer has not addressed the speculation directly, but the online conversation continues to grow, as fans and critics alike dissect her recent behavior and what it may (or may not) reveal.