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Toronto Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
The enduring enigma of Carrie Underwood
Published May 26, 2025 • 12 minute read "It's called the 'post and ghost.' You put your stuff out on the social media, and you don't look at the comments," said Underwood, seen here at the Trump inauguration. MUST CREDIT: Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Photo by Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post LAS VEGAS – Carrie Underwood's Vegas residency show was an exercise in visual and tonal whiplash. One minute, the country music superstar strolled the stage in shimmering fringe crooning 'Cowboy Casanova' and demonstrated some sultry moves in black chaps over spiked heels for 'Drinking Alone.' The next, she set a car on fire during 'Before He Cheats.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Then, having changed into an ice-blue gown, she belted the baptism ballad 'Something in the Water' as her dancers clambered and writhed around on what looked like giant nails sticking out of the backdrop – a crucifixion allusion? – while sheets of liquid rained down. At one point, the star mused out loud that she wanted to take home the chopped-up junkyard sedan that her crew transformed into the spiky chair in which she perched to sing 'Two Black Cadillacs,' the tale of a wife and mistress who join forces to murder the cheating man they share. 'I think I'm going to put it in the living room. … Just have my dog in my lap, crocheting in my throne,' Underwood told her near-capacity crowd in the 5,000-seat Resorts World Las Vegas theater last month, a week before the end of her three-year residency there. 'It would be awesome.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Underwood, 42, has been slipping in and out of character since May 2005, when 30 million viewers watched her crowning as the fourth-season victor of 'American Idol.' Twenty years into her career, she remains a ubiquitous but elusive star, performing as Carrie Underwood, the top-selling and Grammy Award-winning musician, before retreating to her quiet family life on a sprawling Tennessee farm to become Carrie, the self-proclaimed 'homebody.' So it was a surprise to some when she was announced as one of the performers at Donald Trump's inauguration in January – catapulting the country singer into a rare mess of controversy. In a statement in January, Underwood – who has previously referred to politics as a 'nobody wins' morass that she would rather avoid – said she was honored to participate 'at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.' Her choice, just six weeks before she returned to 'Idol' in March, sparked furious backlash from critics and fierce defense from fans. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While viewership numbers are a fraction of what they were in the 'Idol' early-aughts heyday on Fox, millions tune in each week to the show, now on ABC. Underwood joined as a judge this season alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, and although her publicist said she was not available for an interview for this story, it seems evident that the show not only transformed her life but also shaped her approach to her career. The reality show that original judge Simon Cowell snippily insisted was a pure 'singing competition' – that is, not a popularity contest – in fact originally served as an image-crafting boot camp that taught Underwood how to appeal to music-industry gatekeepers, make the smart song choices and dole out just enough of herself to remain a relatable yet enigmatic figure. But watching Underwood experience her most significant career backlash two decades later, it's clear the show also taught her to rely on her own instincts and, perhaps most importantly, how to handle – or filter out – criticism. She has talked about how she competed on the show at the height of internet message boards, and so learned early the value in shutting down outside voices and continuing in whatever lane you feel will suit you best. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's called the 'post and ghost.' You put your stuff out on the social media, and you don't look at the comments. That's how I live my life, man,' Underwood told the young contestants on an episode last month, advising them on how to deal with online hate. In a recent interview, she credited polarizing podcaster Joe Rogan for the 'post and ghost' philosophy. 'Anytime anybody thinks they're yelling at me or insulting me or telling me I look a certain way – or I'm not enough this, or I'm too much that – they're just yelling at the clouds. I don't hear or see any of it.' – – – For all the general dismissiveness about 'American Idol' nearly a quarter-century after its debut (yes, it's still on the air; the Season 23 finale aired last Sunday), the show maintains a hold on anyone who remembers when the nation gathered weekly to watch Cowell tear apart terrible singers, while nicer judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson sought to bolster them. At Underwood's Vegas concert, attendees cited a variety of reasons for their attendance: They were country music fans; they were Underwood fans; she seemed like the best entertainment option on the Vegas Strip that night. But all of them remembered Underwood from 'Idol.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When the public first met Underwood in early 2005, she wasn't exactly a novice – she had snagged a development deal with a major record label as a teenager and performed at events around her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. But 'Idol' producers cast her as the fourth season's wide-eyed ingenue, a 21-year-old college senior who grew up on a farm and had never been on an airplane. Cowell, notably not a country fan, was wowed by Underwood's audition, to which she showed up in jeans and a T-shirt, and sang Bonnie Raitt's 'I Can't Make You Love Me.' She quickly became the front-runner with memorable country covers, and when the judges complained she was getting predictable, she sealed her victory with a bombastic version of Heart's 'Alone.' Cowell famously predicted she would not only win the show but sell more records than any previous 'Idol' winner. He was correct, and while other 'Idol' winners have gone on to collect multiplatinum albums, and finalist Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar, Underwood is arguably the last superstar the show produced. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At the time, though, producers played up her naïveté: When host Ryan Seacrest asked if she had seen any stars in Hollywood, and she replied that it had been too cloudy, that segment was used on air – played for laughs, though many fans found it relatable. 'I just liked her voice … and I liked that she was from a small town,' said Lindsay Fuller of Las Vegas, who runs an Underwood fan account on Instagram with more than 57,000 followers. 'She's an all-American girl, I guess you could say.' In interviews, Underwood describes herself as awkward around crowds and strangers. That's not exactly ideal for the authenticity-craving world of country music, where fans and executives alike place a premium on engaging personal interactions. But when Underwood won the show and landed a record deal with Arista Nashville, she had an enormous head start. Everyone in the industry watched 'Idol,' and even if she wasn't comfortable opening up, people already felt like they knew her. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Label executive Skip Bishop started at Arista as the vice president of national promotion in fall 2005, and his new boss handed him a CD with 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' scrawled across the cover. This was the first single from Underwood's debut album, and it was Bishop's job to get country radio to play it. He anticipated a struggle. Country radio doesn't always welcome newcomers, particularly reality TV contestants. But Underwood's star power overshadowed any doubts. Forged by the brutal production schedule of 'Idol,' she was game to put in the hours. Just a few years into her career, she was tapped to co-host the Country Music Association Awards with superstar Brad Paisley, a gig she kept for the next decade, becoming one of the genre's most visible faces. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'She had that focus and that work ethic that matched all the God-given talent,' Bishop said. 'I've never worked with anyone that had that combination of the shyness and the low-key-ness but also had the steel-eyed confidence that she has.' 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' lingered at No. 1 for six weeks, and Underwood's 'Some Hearts' debut album sold millions of copies, even as the country charts were squeezing out most other female artists. A subsequent single, 'Before He Cheats' – told from the point of view of a betrayed woman destroying an unfaithful man's car – could not have been more different from her first track. But Underwood embraced the persona convincingly, for a career-defining hit that showed she could tackle bitter revenge anthems as well as tender ballads. For someone still adjusting to fame, and whose stage presence was occasionally criticized as robotic, it could be easier to play a character. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We can tell a story in country music,' Underwood said in Vegas by way of introduction to 'Church Bells,' about a woman who poisons her abusive husband. 'Sometimes those stories are not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes they are stormy and dark and dramatic and cinematic, and in my case, sometimes somebody gets killed. And that's okay! You know? We all have our things.' Bishop remembers Underwood being incredibly quiet behind the scenes – until the red light went on in the recording studio, and she just 'exploded with magnetism.' Some might have seen her as standoffish, he said. But as soon as she walked onstage, or the camera turned on, she became another person. Even when Underwood started to co-write and co-produce her albums with some of Nashville's best writers, she shied away from country music's autobiographical tropes in favor of lyrics from the perspective of fictional narrators. In 2017, she left Arista for Capitol Records Nashville and recorded her sixth album, 'Cry Pretty,' with an unusually vulnerable title track about hiding one's pain while pretending everything is fine. At a Nashville industry event in early 2020, the heads of her record company surprised her with a plaque when the album went platinum, and Underwood was overwhelmed. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This is the project that I've done and the album that I've done that is the most 'me,'' Underwood said, getting choked up. 'I'm honored, and I'm humbled, and God is good.' As Underwood built a loyal fan base, she appeared careful and consistent with the few details she shared about her life – mainly centered on family, fitness and faith. Tabloids remain fascinated by her marriage to professional hockey player Mike Fisher – they wed in 2010 – and their two young sons. She carved a brand in the wellness space with a fitness clothing line and app, and a book, 'Find Your Path,' in which she was candid about how she struggled with strangers critiquing her physical appearance on 'Idol.' She has always been open about her Christian beliefs, recording the gospel album 'My Savior' and starring in a web series with Fisher for a Christian organization, where they discussed their fertility challenges. This season on 'Idol,' the show had its first-ever Easter celebration where contestants sang songs of faith. (The show's publicists did not respond to a question about whether Underwood's presence influenced that episode.) 'I know how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you,' she told a pair of contestants who sang a worship song. 'It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of – a lot of – outside forces that are going to tell you not to do that.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Like many country artists, Underwood has mostly avoided sharing her thoughts on specific current events. She voiced her support for same-sex marriage in 2012 – but when she released a thematically resonant song, 'Love Wins,' years later, she maintained that it was more generally about hope for a better world. She also emphasized that her song 'The Bullet,' about the devastating aftermath of gun violence, was not a political message. She did not respond to the internet uproar in 2021 when she and her husband appeared to support anti-mask posts on social media during the covid-19 pandemic. 'I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,' Underwood told the Guardian in 2019. 'Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it's black and white. And it's not like that.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hence, the clamor when Underwood appeared to abandon that stance by gracing the stage at the Trump inauguration. (Technical audio difficulties at the U.S. Capitol forced her to perform 'America the Beautiful' a cappella.) Though the world of country music skews more conservative than most quadrants of show business, Underwood's choice was viewed as a betrayal from longtime genre-agnostic 'Idol' fans, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community aggrieved by the new administration's push to roll back equal rights. An Underwood fan account made headlines by switching country star allegiances and becoming a Megan Moroney fan account instead. Constantine Maroulis, a popular 'Idol' Season 4 finalist and Tony Award nominee, knows members of Underwood's inner circle. (She has maintained the same career manager and tour manager from her early post-'Idol' career.) He assumes that her team analyzed the pros and cons and anticipated the reaction to an inauguration appearance. He personally would have not made the same decision, Maroulis said, but he supports Underwood as a friend. As he remembers from their season, the unassuming small-town girl understood the reality of the music business. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Plus, at this point in her career, Underwood doesn't have a lot to lose. In Nashville, some mainstream country stars, such as Jason Aldean and Brian Kelley, have become increasingly vocal about their support of Trump. And while Underwood's singles don't break through on the radio as they once did, she remains a sought-after duet partner – she teamed up with Aldean on one recent hit and Cody Johnson on another – who can still command TV audiences and sell concert tickets. In addition to her lifestyle brands, she has her own SiriusXM radio channel. Even if she doesn't wear her ambition on her sleeve, those who worked with her say it is a driving force. 'She was someone to be reckoned with,' Maroulis said. The contestants formed a tight bond during their surreal experience on the show, but they never forgot they were competitors. 'I love that about her,' he added. 'She has a killer instinct inside of her, as well.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. – – – Season 23 of 'American Idol' has served as a love letter to Underwood, with ample flashbacks to her competition days; Maroulis appeared with several other contestants for a brief Season 4 reunion on an episode in April. Producers have tried to showcase sides of Underwood that might surprise audiences – her deep knowledge of heavy metal lyrics, her friendly verbal jabs at Luke Bryan. On a web-only series, she watches scenes from her season and offers commentary, or reads passages from her old journal. As always, she continues to open up to the viewing public on her terms. 'Idol' was barely referenced in her Vegas act, which Underwood introduced as a journey through '20 years of a career that I am so proud of' – except for a fleeting image of her on the show, displayed on the screen behind her before 'Something in the Water,' a reminder of where she came from and the road she took to get here. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'From a very young age I was singing, and I would have told you in a heartbeat that this was what I was going to be doing someday,' Underwood said at one point in the show. 'Thanks to so many blessings, the good Lord put me on this path. Somehow we all ended up here. And it is divine intervention for sure.' Read More Love concerts, but can't make it to the venue? Stream live shows and events from your couch with VEEPS, a music-first streaming service now operating in Canada. Click here for an introductory offer of 30% off. Explore upcoming concerts and the extensive archive of past performances! Ontario Music Sunshine Girls Money News World
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The enduring enigma of Carrie Underwood
LAS VEGAS Carrie Underwood's Vegas residency show was an exercise in visual and tonal whiplash. One minute, the country music superstar strolled the stage in shimmering fringe crooning 'Cowboy Casanova' and demonstrated some sultry moves in black chaps over spiked heels for 'Drinking Alone.' The next, she set a car on fire during 'Before He Cheats.' Then, having changed into an ice-blue gown, she belted the baptism ballad 'Something in the Water' as her dancers clambered and writhed around on what looked like giant nails sticking out of the backdrop — a crucifixion allusion? — while sheets of liquid rained down. At one point, the star mused out loud that she wanted to take home the chopped-up junkyard sedan that her crew transformed into the spiky chair in which she perched to sing 'Two Black Cadillacs,' the tale of a wife and mistress who join forces to murder the cheating man they share. 'I think I'm going to put it in the living room. … Just have my dog in my lap, crocheting in my throne,' Underwood told her near-capacity crowd in the 5,000-seat Resorts World Las Vegas theater last month, a week before the end of her three-year residency there. 'It would be awesome.' Underwood, 42, has been slipping in and out of character since May 2005, when 30 million viewers watched her crowning as the fourth-season victor of 'American Idol.' Twenty years into her career, she remains a ubiquitous but elusive star, performing as Carrie Underwood, the top-selling and Grammy Award-winning musician, before retreating to her quiet family life on a sprawling Tennessee farm to become Carrie, the self-proclaimed 'homebody.' So it was a surprise to some when she was announced as one of the performers at Donald Trump's inauguration in January — catapulting the country singer into a rare mess of controversy. In a statement in January, Underwood — who has previously referred to politics as a 'nobody wins' morass that she would rather avoid — said she was honored to participate 'at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.' Her choice, just six weeks before she returned to 'Idol' in March, sparked furious backlash from critics and fierce defense from fans. While viewership numbers are a fraction of what they were in the 'Idol' early-aughts heyday on Fox, millions tune in each week to the show, now on ABC. Underwood joined as a judge this season alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, and although her publicist said she was not available for an interview for this story, it seems evident that the show not only transformed her life but also shaped her approach to her career. The reality show that original judge Simon Cowell snippily insisted was a pure 'singing competition' — that is, not a popularity contest — in fact originally served as an image-crafting boot camp that taught Underwood how to appeal to music-industry gatekeepers, make the smart song choices and dole out just enough of herself to remain a relatable yet enigmatic figure. But watching Underwood experience her most significant career backlash two decades later, it's clear the show also taught her to rely on her own instincts and, perhaps most importantly, how to handle — or filter out — criticism. She has talked about how she competed on the show at the height of internet message boards, and so learned early the value in shutting down outside voices and continuing in whatever lane you feel will suit you best. 'It's called the 'post and ghost.' You put your stuff out on the social media, and you don't look at the comments. That's how I live my life, man,' Underwood told the young contestants on an episode last month, advising them on how to deal with online hate. In a recent interview, she credited polarizing podcaster Joe Rogan for the 'post and ghost' philosophy. 'Anytime anybody thinks they're yelling at me or insulting me or telling me I look a certain way — or I'm not enough this, or I'm too much that — they're just yelling at the clouds. I don't hear or see any of it.' For all the general dismissiveness about 'American Idol' nearly a quarter-century after its debut (yes, it's still on the air; the Season 23 finale airs Sunday), the show maintains a hold on anyone who remembers when the nation gathered weekly to watch Cowell tear apart terrible singers, while nicer judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson sought to bolster them. At Underwood's Vegas concert, attendees cited a variety of reasons for their attendance: They were country music fans; they were Underwood fans; she seemed like the best entertainment option on the Vegas Strip that night. But all of them remembered Underwood from 'Idol.' When the public first met Underwood in early 2005, she wasn't exactly a novice — she had snagged a development deal with a major record label as a teenager and performed at events around her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. But 'Idol' producers cast her as the fourth season's wide-eyed ingenue, a 21-year-old college senior who grew up on a farm and had never been on an airplane. Cowell, notably not a country fan, was wowed by Underwood's audition, to which she showed up in jeans and a T-shirt, and sang Bonnie Raitt's 'I Can't Make You Love Me.' She quickly became the front-runner with memorable country covers, and when the judges complained she was getting predictable, she sealed her victory with a bombastic version of Heart's 'Alone.' Cowell famously predicted she would not only win the show but sell more records than any previous 'Idol' winner. He was correct, and while other 'Idol' winners have gone on to collect multiplatinum albums, and finalist Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar, Underwood is arguably the last superstar the show produced. At the time, though, producers played up her naïveté: When host Ryan Seacrest asked if she had seen any stars in Hollywood, and she replied that it had been too cloudy, that segment was used on air — played for laughs, though many fans found it relatable. 'I just liked her voice … and I liked that she was from a small town,' said Lindsay Fuller of Las Vegas, who runs an Underwood fan account on Instagram with more than 57,000 followers. 'She's an all-American girl, I guess you could say.' In interviews, Underwood describes herself as awkward around crowds and strangers. That's not exactly ideal for the authenticity-craving world of country music, where fans and executives alike place a premium on engaging personal interactions. But when Underwood won the show and landed a record deal with Arista Nashville, she had an enormous head start. Everyone in the industry watched 'Idol,' and even if she wasn't comfortable opening up, people already felt like they knew her. Label executive Skip Bishop started at Arista as the vice president of national promotion in fall 2005, and his new boss handed him a CD with 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' scrawled across the cover. This was the first single from Underwood's debut album, and it was Bishop's job to get country radio to play it. He anticipated a struggle. Country radio doesn't always welcome newcomers, particularly reality TV contestants. But Underwood's star power overshadowed any doubts. Forged by the brutal production schedule of 'Idol,' she was game to put in the hours. Just a few years into her career, she was tapped to co-host the Country Music Association Awards with superstar Brad Paisley, a gig she kept for the next decade, becoming one of the genre's most visible faces. 'She had that focus and that work ethic that matched all the God-given talent,' Bishop said. 'I've never worked with anyone that had that combination of the shyness and the low-key-ness but also had the steel-eyed confidence that she has.' 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' lingered at No. 1 for six weeks, and Underwood's 'Some Hearts' debut album sold millions of copies, even as the country charts were squeezing out most other female artists. A subsequent single, 'Before He Cheats' — told from the point of view of a betrayed woman destroying an unfaithful man's car — could not have been more different from her first track. But Underwood embraced the persona convincingly, for a career-defining hit that showed she could tackle bitter revenge anthems as well as tender ballads. For someone still adjusting to fame, and whose stage presence was occasionally criticized as robotic, it could be easier to play a character. 'We can tell a story in country music,' Underwood said in Vegas by way of introduction to 'Church Bells,' about a woman who poisons her abusive husband. 'Sometimes those stories are not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes they are stormy and dark and dramatic and cinematic, and in my case, sometimes somebody gets killed. And that's okay! You know? We all have our things.' Bishop remembers Underwood being incredibly quiet behind the scenes — until the red light went on in the recording studio, and she just 'exploded with magnetism.' Some might have seen her as standoffish, he said. But as soon as she walked onstage, or the camera turned on, she became another person. Even when Underwood started to co-write and co-produce her albums with some of Nashville's best writers, she shied away from country music's autobiographical tropes in favor of lyrics from the perspective of fictional narrators. In 2017, she left Arista for Capitol Records Nashville and recorded her sixth album, 'Cry Pretty,' with an unusually vulnerable title track about hiding one's pain while pretending everything is fine. At a Nashville industry event in early 2020, the heads of her record company surprised her with a plaque when the album went platinum, and Underwood was overwhelmed. 'This is the project that I've done and the album that I've done that is the most 'me,'' Underwood said, getting choked up. 'I'm honored, and I'm humbled, and God is good.' As Underwood built a loyal fan base, she appeared careful and consistent with the few details she shared about her life — mainly centered on family, fitness and faith. Tabloids remain fascinated by her marriage to professional hockey player Mike Fisher — they wed in 2010 — and their two young sons. She carved a brand in the wellness space with a fitness clothing line and app, and a book, 'Find Your Path,' in which she was candid about how she struggled with strangers critiquing her physical appearance on 'Idol.' She has always been open about her Christian beliefs, recording the gospel album 'My Savior' and starring in a web series with Fisher for a Christian organization, where they discussed their fertility challenges. This season on 'Idol,' the show had its first-ever Easter celebration where contestants sang songs of faith. (The show's publicists did not respond to a question about whether Underwood's presence influenced that episode.) 'I know how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you,' she told a pair of contestants who sang a worship song. 'It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of — a lot of — outside forces that are going to tell you not to do that.' Like many country artists, Underwood has mostly avoided sharing her thoughts on specific current events. She voiced her support for same-sex marriage in 2012 — but when she released a thematically resonant song, 'Love Wins,' years later, she maintained that it was more generally about hope for a better world. She also emphasized that her song 'The Bullet,' about the devastating aftermath of gun violence, was not a political message. She did not respond to the internet uproar in 2021 when she and her husband appeared to support anti-mask posts on social media during the covid-19 pandemic. 'I try to stay far out of politics if possible, at least in public, because nobody wins,' Underwood told the Guardian in 2019. 'Everybody tries to sum everything up and put a bow on it, like it's black and white. And it's not like that.' Hence, the clamor when Underwood appeared to abandon that stance by gracing the stage at the Trump inauguration. (Technical audio difficulties at the U.S. Capitol forced her to perform 'America the Beautiful' a cappella.) Though the world of country music skews more conservative than most quadrants of show business, Underwood's choice was viewed as a betrayal from longtime genre-agnostic 'Idol' fans, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community aggrieved by the new administration's push to roll back equal rights. An Underwood fan account made headlines by switching country star allegiances and becoming a Megan Moroney fan account instead. Constantine Maroulis, a popular 'Idol' Season 4 finalist and Tony Award nominee, knows members of Underwood's inner circle. (She has maintained the same career manager and tour manager from her early post-'Idol' career.) He assumes that her team analyzed the pros and cons and anticipated the reaction to an inauguration appearance. He personally would have not made the same decision, Maroulis said, but he supports Underwood as a friend. As he remembers from their season, the unassuming small-town girl understood the reality of the music business. Plus, at this point in her career, Underwood doesn't have a lot to lose. In Nashville, some mainstream country stars, such as Jason Aldean and Brian Kelley, have become increasingly vocal about their support of Trump. And while Underwood's singles don't break through on the radio as they once did, she remains a sought-after duet partner — she teamed up with Aldean on one recent hit and Cody Johnson on another — who can still command TV audiences and sell concert tickets. In addition to her lifestyle brands, she has her own SiriusXM radio channel. Even if she doesn't wear her ambition on her sleeve, those who worked with her say it is a driving force. 'She was someone to be reckoned with,' Maroulis said. The contestants formed a tight bond during their surreal experience on the show, but they never forgot they were competitors. 'I love that about her,' he added. 'She has a killer instinct inside of her, as well.' Season 23 of 'American Idol' has served as a love letter to Underwood, with ample flashbacks to her competition days; Maroulis appeared with several other contestants for a brief Season 4 reunion on an episode in April. Producers have tried to showcase sides of Underwood that might surprise audiences — her deep knowledge of heavy metal lyrics, her friendly verbal jabs at Luke Bryan. On a web-only series, she watches scenes from her season and offers commentary, or reads passages from her old journal. As always, she continues to open up to the viewing public on her terms. 'Idol' was barely referenced in her Vegas act, which Underwood introduced as a journey through '20 years of a career that I am so proud of' — except for a fleeting image of her on the show, displayed on the screen behind her before 'Something in the Water,' a reminder of where she came from and the road she took to get here. 'From a very young age I was singing, and I would have told you in a heartbeat that this was what I was going to be doing someday,' Underwood said at one point in the show. 'Thanks to so many blessings, the good Lord put me on this path. Somehow we all ended up here. And it is divine intervention for sure.'
Perth Now
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Incubus confirm new album
Incubus have confirmed their new album will be called 'Something in the Water'. The 'Drive' hitmakers revealed last month they had finished work on their ninth studio LP - the follow-up to 2017's '8' - and ahead of their show at London's The O2 on Saturday (26.04.25), they shared the title in attention-grabbing fashion. Projections featuring the title were shared along the River Thames and shared onto the band's Instagram account, showing footage from locations including the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. Fans walking to the gig from nearby North Greenwich station passed giant posters stuck to the ground featuring a QR code which, when scanned, took them to a pre-order link for the record. The gig at The O2 saw the band play their beloved 2001 album 'Morning View' in its entirety, including the single 'Wish You Were Here' and saw the crowd singing along to every word. The show was rounded out with a selection of fan-favourite tracks including 'Anna Molly', 'Pardon Me' and closer 'Drive', while the set was also interspersed with snippets of various covers, including Phil Collins' 'In the Air Tonight', which was blended into 'Are You In?', a nod to Rihanna's 'Umbrella' within their own 'Under My Umbrella' and Portishead's 'Glory Box', which was paired with 'Vitamin'. The stage set up was simple but the tracks were complemented by a dazzling laser show and giant screens switching between footage of the group on stage and abstract patterns in vivid colours. Frontman Brandon Boyd regularly thanked the crowd for their wild reception, and at one point noted it was bassist Nicole Row's first performance in the city. The rocker recently praised Nicole for being a "breath of fresh air" and having "amazing ideas" within the band. During the interview with Flux FM, he also said of the new album: 'I think it's a really great record, and I'm really proud of it, and all of us in the band are really proud of it. We had a wonderful time recording it.' 'Something In The Water' will be out this year on Virgin Music.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Something in the Water's request to reinstate festival denied
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Something in the Water Festival organizers reportedly reached back out to Virginia Beach City Council to request a reinstatement of the annual festival, which was scheduled in April after the original October date was postponed. Despite the plea, Mayor Bobby Dyer said the city is holding firm to its decision to cancel the festival, opting to explore other options for entertainment, including through Beach Events. Previous Coverage: Virginia Beach City cancels Something in the Water Previously unregulated, the annual festival — put on by Virginia Beach-native Pharrell Williams — led to mass confusion, frustration and financial loss after ticket buyers waited in line in September 2024 for the event, originally scheduled in October. Despite no lineup being released, people waited in line — only to be abruptly told that the festival was postponed. Virginia Beach mayor says city 'moving on' from Something in the Water, for now The public and the city were caught off guard at both the cancelation and the decision to hold the event in April. A decision made without any input from city officials. The fiasco prompted the city to require more oversight and provide deadlines for information to be released. A back and forth struggle ensued between organizers and the city as their attempt to regulate the event and ensure a smooth process for attendees was met with unanswered questions, deadlines coming and going, and ultimately resulting in the cancelation of an annual event. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From homegrown genre to an official museum, D.C. celebrates 50 years of go-go
WASHINGTON — In the nation's capital, where a plethora of cultural institutions dot the landscape, a new arrival pulses with a go-go beat. The Go-Go Museum & Café, the world's only collection dedicated to the celebration, study and preservation of all things go-go, opens Wednesday in its birthplace, Washington, D.C. For the uninitiated, the genre is a syncopated, drum-driven style of funk. Its distinctive sound is heavy on percussion instruments such as congas and cowbells, as well as brass horns. Go-go is often played live, where its exuberant rhythms soar. 'It is a powerful expression of joy,' said Natalie Hopkinson, the museum's chief curator, who wrote her Ph.D. dissertation about go-go. 'It is an art form.' While several bands played roles in early prototypes of the music, Chuck Brown, the 'Godfather of Go-Go,' is widely credited with creating the genre in the 1970s. During a club performance with his band, The Soul Searchers, Brown reportedly had the percussion section play continuously between songs. Meanwhile, he engaged the audience in lively call and response. That groove — which goes and goes — became go-go. A half-century later, go-go is still going. In 2020, it was designated the official music of Washington, D.C. Over the years, artists such as Brown, Rare Essence and Trouble Funk have appeared on NPR's 'Tiny Desk' concert series. Go-Go acts have also appeared at Pharrell Williams's Something in the Water festival in Virginia, at the Kennedy Center and beyond. 'If you go to New Orleans, you've got brass bands. Go to New York, and it's hip-hop. If you come to D.C., you're hearing go-go,' said Ronald 'Moe' Moten, the museum's founder and president. A promoter and peace activist, Moten grew up in a D.C. household that cranked go-go. 'My mother would listen to it all the time,' Moten recalled. 'It was just natural, part of the culture.' Now, the museum that reflects the soundtrack of his life and that of countless other fans is opening to the public on Wednesday; a ribbon-cutting was held last year. Nestled among businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, the two-story structure houses a vibrant 8,000-square-foot space. The museum boasts more than a dozen interactive exhibits, a recording studio and a performance stage. Chef Angela Rose, a Food Network 'Chopped' finalist, has created a diaspora street food menu for the on-site café. Visitors can 'talk' to an AI hologram of go-go stars or tap a screen to learn about go-go's influence on hip-hop, complete with audio beats that have been sampled on rap songs. Elsewhere are artifacts and installations that spotlight go-go in cinema, fashion and photography. Another exhibit centers the LGBTQ community. There's a 'street art' exhibit complete with a digital spray can for signature graffiti 'tags.' Not surprisingly, the museum gives props to go-go pioneers, royalty and popular entertainers. Besides Brown (who died in 2012), they include Experience Unlimited, aka E.U. (who became nationally known after appearing in Spike Lee's 1988 film 'School Daze') and the all-woman band Be' La Dona, to name a few. Moreover, a museum timeline charts go-go's history. Despite its proud evolution, Moten says there have been 'ups and downs.' In the 1990s, reports of conflicts and violence in or around dance halls led to youth curfews. In 2019, noise complaints from a luxury apartment building about a D.C. retailer playing go-go prompted backlash and protests. A #DontMuteDC hashtag started by a Howard University student went viral. Moten and Hopkinson then led the 'Don't Mute D.C. go-go music and culture' petition, which received about 80,000 signatures. The movement drew musicians, advocates and supporters nationwide and globally, and led to a push for DC Law 23-71. It repealed the curfews and made the music 'official.' Mayor Muriel Bowser, who signed the measure, has championed go-go, and her administration provided the museum with fiscal support. 'Go-go is the heartbeat of D.C.,' Bowser told NBC News through a spokesperson. She termed the museum 'a living, breathing testament to the energy, creativity, and resilience of our community.' Bowser added that the site 'strengthens our creative economy by attracting visitors, supporting local artists, and fostering community engagement.' The museum is already planning to welcome schools and host community programming and events. Recently, the museum officially launched its countdown to a historic initiative called '50 Years of Go-Go,' designed to mark the genre's 50th anniversary in January 2026. The yearlong celebration will include a series of special events, pop-up exhibits and collaborations with museum partners. Moten hopes their mission will help foster the next generation of musicians and enthusiasts, and spark a go-go renaissance across the country and around the world. The greater legacy, he said, is bringing people of myriad backgrounds together. It's all about 'just embracing the music and showing love.' This article was originally published on
