Carrie Underwood Speaks Out After Being Booed on American Idol

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Carrie Underwood wants American Idol fans to think before they boo.

The country music star wasn’t bothered by how the contestants reacted after receiving feedback during the Hollywood Week episode on March 2nd, which took place in Music City.

During the show, the 42-year-old posted on X, saying, “Go ahead and criticize me, I don’t mind.” They also tagged the official American Idol account.

Carrie faced criticism after contestant Mor performed an original song. Luke Bryan gave Mor a thumbs-up during the performance, but Carrie remained quiet. When it was Carrie’s turn to give feedback to the 22-year-old from West Virginia, she anticipated the negative reaction from the audience.

Carrie addressed the audience, anticipating their disapproval. “I know you’re going to boo me,” she said. “Go ahead, I welcome it! Your negativity actually energizes me.”

The singer known for the hit “Jesus Take the Wheel” criticized contestant Mor for choosing to perform an original song at a critical point in the competition, and Mor was later eliminated.

The booing continued throughout the show. Carrie, who became a judge alongside Luke and Lionel Richie in 2025, had to be defended by Luke when he thought the audience was being unfair.

Referring to her season 4 win, Luke told the audience, “She only won this. She knows.”

Carrie chimed in with her feelings telling the crowd, “You’re not included in the discussions.”

I was so impressed watching her! Even after winning a Grammy, she was completely gracious, playfully teasing Luke about how much affection he gets, even when he’s giving constructive criticism. It was a really sweet moment.

“Why don’t they boo you?” she asked Luke, who quipped, “I don’t know, I’m trying to get booed.”

It wasn’t until Carrie jokingly asked the audience, “You’re not going to boo him?,” that they actually started to boo.

Carrie, who shares two children – Isaiah, age 10, and Jacob, age 6 – with her husband, Mike Fisher, has spoken before about criticism from fans of American Idol who think she’s too critical as a judge.

She explained on SiriusXM’s The Highway that she sometimes receives criticism for admitting things aren’t always flawless. Her response is that she believes everyone learns through feedback, and constantly being told you’re perfect isn’t helpful or realistic.

For the contestants that do, Carrie joked that it’s “not gonna get you anywhere.”

Still, her feedback comes from a place of love.

She explained that their goal is to help everyone improve, develop their skills, and reach their full potential.

For more secrets from American Idol, keep reading…

According to former contestants, you don’t start earning money on American Idol until you reach the live shows. Margie Mays, who competed in seasons 17 and 18, explained in a 2020 TikTok that contestants are paid for things like commercials and returning for the finale after being eliminated, and expenses like food and travel during trips like the one to Hawaii are covered. However, there’s no payment just for being a contestant – it’s a sacrifice made in pursuit of winning.

If you do win, there’s a prize of $250,000, but it’s not a full payout. Season 16 winner Maddie Poppe told Business Insider in 2022 that half the money is given upfront, before the winner finishes their record, and the other half after. She clarified that it functions more like an advance on a record deal that needs to be earned back.

That’s not quite right. Actually, season seven winner David Cook revealed his initial audition wasn’t the very first one – it was his fifth round! There are several ways to try out for the show, like attending open calls, virtual auditions, or applying through social media. However, if the producers ask you to come back, you’re responsible for your own travel expenses. As David Cook explained, once you make it to Hollywood Week, the show covers your flights and accommodation, but for the initial city auditions, you’re on your own dime.

So you’ve made it to Hollywood on shows like American Idol or similar – what happens next? Once the judges – currently Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan – give you a golden ticket, you’ll head to California for Hollywood Week. But who pays for the trip?

According to a former contestant, the show covers travel costs. In a 2020 TikTok video, she explained that they fly contestants to Hollywood, book the flights, and cover the hotel and meals.

She clarified that while contestants don’t receive cash, all necessary expenses are paid for by the show.

In the beginning of the competition, contestants choose their own outfits. As Margie explained in a 2020 TikTok video, once a contestant reaches the live rounds—typically the Top 14 and beyond—the show provides stylists, hair, and makeup to create a complete transformation from everyday look to star quality. However, stylists work with a set budget. Soyon An, a former costume designer, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2013 that contestants were given $400 per episode for their wardrobe. If a costume cost more than that, the contestant had to pay the difference themselves if they wanted to keep it, as they are building a personal brand and image throughout the show.

 

Once host Ryan Seacrest announces the results and contestants are eliminated, they quickly pack up and leave. According to a former contestant, Margie, those sent home during Hollywood Week are often put on a flight almost immediately. She explained in a TikTok video that they’d leave the theater, go to a separate hotel, and then be flown home right away.

Later in the competition, the process is a bit different. For the Hawaii round, everyone flies back to Los Angeles together, regardless of whether they made it to the Top 20. When contestants live in apartments during the live shows, those eliminated between the Top 20 and Top 10 likely leave quickly. However, those who reach the Top 10 and are then eliminated usually stay in the apartments until the finale, as they are brought back to perform during the final show.

Because contestants on American Idol must be at least 15 years old, many are still students while competing. Danielle Finn, who reached the Top 24 at age 17, recalled having school on the set during her time on season 20. She explained to fellow contestant Clark Beckham that filming days were limited to 10 hours, and if they went over, or had any downtime, they were required to attend school. Victoria Johnson, 16 when she made it to the Showstopper round on season 22, had a similar experience. Even though she was on spring break during Hollywood Week, she still had to complete her required school hours, spending the time doing puzzles since she had finished her coursework. She’s now taking all her classes online due to the demands of filming Idol.

Throughout the history of American Idol, the contestants’ living arrangements have varied greatly, from apartments and hotels to luxurious mansions. One house, used during season eight, was especially extravagant, boasting amenities like a basketball court, bowling alley, a home theater, and both indoor and outdoor pools. Lil Rounds, a contestant from season eight, reminisced on Instagram in February 2024, calling the mansion “soo awesome,” but also noting they barely got any sleep. More recently, contestants seem to be staying in hotels. In season twenty-two, winner Abi Carter and finalist Julia Gagnon even shared a room together.

Life was incredibly hectic for contestants on ‘American Idol.’ Season two winner Ruben Studdard described a whirlwind schedule where he’d receive songs on Thursday, choose them Friday, film commercials Friday-Saturday, finalize selections Sunday, record the track Sunday night-Monday, and then do a full dress rehearsal Tuesday. This meant promotional packages urging viewers to vote were filmed well before the show aired. Then, on Wednesday, there was the elimination show, and the cycle would begin again. The workload didn’t decrease as the competition narrowed; in fact, it often increased. Season thirteen runner-up Jena Irene Asciutto echoed this sentiment, explaining that as contestants were eliminated, those remaining had to fill the time on each episode. She recalled that by the top eight, they were filming Ford commercials every Sunday.

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2026-03-03 16:47