After an awkward, deafening silence, a professional saved the day with a raw, authentic performance.
The stylish, blonde woman dressed in an eye-catching, form-hugging dress bravely started to sing a capella. Eyes all around United States Capitol Rotunda where she was standing were glued to her frame, while cameras beamed it to the world. Background music having failed her, Carrie Underwood launched into an improvised America the Beautiful. And it was ethereal.
All the more remarkable, was that it happened in Washington DC on 20 January 2025. The day a certain Donald J Trump was inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States of America.
Call for unity
Americans, both supporters and detractors of Trump, possibly one of the most polarising presidents in living memory, were probably bracing themselves for any eventuality. Considering that Donald Trump had endured two attempts on his life in the run-up to the elections. By God’s grace, minor technical glitches were all that marred the inauguration.
When the announcement was made that Carrie Underwood would sing at the inauguration, there was unexpected, vitriolic backlash. Some “fans” even called for a boycott. In its wake she released a statement:
“I love our country and am hono[u]red 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.”
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood’s star turn
It was imperative that she produced a career-defining performance. And she sure did that! Despite the setback, her stated vision to unify people was inadvertently achieved as everyone started singing along. Suddenly, a once-in-a-lifetime moment that could easily have been ruined was redefined.
The point to be made is this: when the rubber meets the road, the wheels come off, or you need to bring your professional self to a gig gone awry – that is when one is tested. That is when your talent is laid bare and raw. For Carrie Underwood, that date with destiny came at the inauguration, and she passed the test with flying colours.
She had brought the emotion, sentiment, star power and presence. And nailed it. Clearly, this was as raw and authentic as one could get. The audience, grasping the reality of an improvisation, helped to bolster her spirits. Unified in adversity, the mood in the room was instantly transformed: from bewilderment to being upbeat.
One cannot help but think that this was, in the end, a rendition for the ages. Certainly, it would not have received the media attention and scrutiny had it been perfectly performed as planned.
Guts to glory
The devil is in the details they say and God’s hand is in everything. I am sure that Carrie had greatly been encouraged by the kind words proffered by former president, Joe Biden, and the sentiments expressed by President Trump and Vice President Vance.
On a good day, sticking to one’s values and decisions provides for a fair challenge. Carrying on when facing a barrage of criticism is next level. Carrie, confronted by the prospect of real public failure – and singing a capella anyway – revealed an underlying grit. She displayed a heart-clutching, guts to glory disposition and an authentic, unflinching boldness.
But by the end of it, people were lauding and applauding. Not to mention, the praise online.
Authenticity matters
I am reminded of what the esteemed copywriter Alex Cattoni predicted for 2025. Convinced of a big shift in marketing, she emphatically stated that authenticity and human connection would become even more sought after for creatives, copywriters, marketers and professionals of their ilk.
These days, we are faced with a deluge of information provided by artificial intelligence at the click of a button. Yet, perhaps this a capella version proved, once again, that the sometimes fragile state of being human is still the way one connects with other humans.
And human connection will become increasingly more important as we continue to be bombarded by perfectly curated pieces, places and people. And some of us humans have come to the point where we wonder whether being real is even acceptable anymore?
The Star-Spangled Banner
But back at the inauguration: the national anthem, of course, was performed. It did not move my heart as the haunting anthem often does.
As a non-American, my opinion does not matter I know, but what I thought of – and another fan posted it in the comments – was Whitney Houston’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner in 1991.
Regarded by many as one of the best renditions ever sung, I went back to listen to it again. It was pure musical bliss performed by a gifted singer who effortlessly seemed to hit the heavenly notes – the hallmark of a true professional. And in Whitney’s heyday, she was a performer par excellence.
Hope for battle-weary soul
Being interviewed on the topic years later, Whitney shed some light. She said that Americans were at war at the time, and deeply in need of hope. The mood in the country was gloomy and, with her performance, Whitney sought to evoke this elusive hope. She nailed it – the crowd felt it, reciprocated it, and as a result, she felt a staggering surge of love poured out right back to her.
It proved the value of the human gift of singing. To those privileged to attend, the atmosphere in the stadium was electric, palpable even as one listened years later. It was a defining moment in time for sure and Whitney had a way of creating those, didn’t she?
Souls uplifted
And we, humans, desperately need hope and love. Indeed, our souls soar and depend on it. Increasingly, our world feels cold, devoid of love and hopeless.
We have to deal with an unprecedented barrage of information, as well as new developments in technology that seem to threaten our livelihoods. When times seem especially dark, that is when the human spirit can come alive, enlivened as it were, by music and authentic hope.
Unwittingly, Carrie Underwood, already under fire before singing a note, discovered the lesson for herself on the world stage of Washington DC no less.
Exactly what is needed
Though flawed, her performance inspired and connected the audience in a way nothing else could on that tension-filled day. Perhaps, it is exactly what was needed – human frailty breaking through barriers of politics.
It brought together many a poker-faced politician, some still smarting from recent defeat. For a brief moment, they could just indulge themselves and revel in the joy that is music.
As for overcoming adversity and maintaining professionalism, Carrie hit it out of the park. It was a job well done and a perfect example of how to connect authentically, if imperfectly, with others through our work, writing and jobs in 2025.
Both Whitney and Carrie Underwood managed to move their nation in song and uplift others at a challenging time in history. Who knows what we will be called upon to do someday. Whatever God may have in store, I hope and pray that it will help us to connect to each other like never before.
I am a Communication Science graduate and a published writer. At heart, this curious South African has a deep love for the beauty of the written word and a passion for all things communication – as well as what makes it effective. Lately, fascination with the digital economy has held my rapt attention. As I navigate the tenuous, sometimes scary, yet always exciting terrain, I trust you will be right there with me on this newfangled journey.
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