‘American Idol’ crowd boos Carrie Underwood as fans share mixed reactions online: 'I wonder why...'
Hollywood Week has a way of turning up the volume. Sometimes on the singers and other times on the judges. With auditions officially wrapped, ‘American Idol’ shifted gears on Monday, launching its first round of Hollywood Week performances. Notably, Season 24 packed up and headed straight to Nashville, Tennessee. A place where even regular people in coffee shops probably have great vocals. But not everyone received a hometown hero’s welcome. Carrie Underwood, who has ties to country music and Nashville itself, revealed ahead of the episode that she got booed by the audience during Hollywood Week tapings.
On February 17, she joked about it online, writing on X, “Spoiler alert…I get booed A LOT from our Hollywood Week audience. @/AmericanIdol.” Now, judges getting booed on ‘Idol’ is not exactly unheard of. Tough critiques tend to ruffle feathers, and sometimes the audience doesn’t like hearing a favorite receive blunt feedback. It happens. But social media had other ideas. After Underwood’s post circulated, a wave of comments emerged with various theories.
Spoiler alert…I get booed A LOT from our Hollywood Week audience. 😳 @AmericanIdol
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) February 17, 2026
Some users believed that the negative reaction from the crowd might not have been about performance notes at all, but about politics. Earlier, Underwood performed ‘America the Beautiful’ at Donald Trump’s inauguration in January 2025. While she has rarely spoken openly about her political affiliations, that appearance alone was enough to ignite conversation. And the internet never whispers. Replies to her post ranged from sarcastic remarks to outright criticism. A few users even referenced the inauguration directly. One individual bluntly wrote, “I’ve been booing you since the inauguration,” while another added, “Hmmmmm I wonder why sweetie….. read the room.”
Carrie Underwood performing “America The Beautiful” at Trump’s Inauguration. pic.twitter.com/2XGBYXxJWk
— Country Chord (@CountryChord) January 20, 2025
A different user even shared a clip from Underwood’s inauguration performance and captioned it, “I wonder why,” making their stance crystal clear. Of course, the pendulum swung both ways. Plenty of supporters rushed to defend the country star, arguing that boos are proof she’s “doing something right.” A number of fans brought American flags into their replies, making it clear they stood by her, politics and all. Meanwhile, back on the actual show, the competition marched forward. Episode 5 delivered the first round of serious cuts as 127 singers took the stage in Nashville, hoping to inch closer to the Top 30.
By the end of the episode, several names remained in contention for a Top 30 slot in Season 24. Bryant Thomas, Keyla Richardson, Makiyah, Jordan McCullough, Madison Moon, Roelle, Trace Casanova, Hannah Harper, Philmon Lee, Lucas Leon, Kiera Howell, Abayomi, and Michael Garner all advanced. Still, producers were not about to let viewers rest easy. The episode closed on a cliffhanger involving Jake Thistle, Brianna Yancey, and Braden Rumfelt, leaving their fates hanging in the balance until the next episode. The second half of Hollywood Week is set to air on March 2.
