Ariana Grande appears to have thrown some subtle shade at Carrie Underwood’s a capella performance during Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The pop superstar, 31, “liked” an Instagram post on Monday that mocked the “American Idol” alum’s rendition of “America the Beautiful,” which she performed without accompaniment due to an audio malfunction.
Donald Trump Inauguration: Ariana Grande Likes Post MOCKING Carrie Underwood’s A Cappella Performance of America the Beautiful
The Instagram post included a photo of Vice President Kamala Harris’s expression as Underwood sang, paired with a caption referencing a famous quote from “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 2 contestant Coco Montrese.
“Kamala Harris evoking Coco Montrese (‘Girl, find the note’) watching Carrie Underwood at today’s chilling Inauguration,” the post read. Montrese’s iconic remark went viral in 2016 when she told a fellow contestant to “find the note.”
Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed Grande’s interaction with the post and shared their reactions in the comments.
“Ariana liked this lmfao 😭,” one fan wrote, while another commented, “ARIANA HAHAH.” A third joked, “Her cassette tape breaking so she had to sing a capella? The gays did that!!!”
Meanwhile, others defended Underwood, 41, calling her performance a “class act,” especially given the technical issues she faced.
Underwood experienced an awkward moment during the event when an audio glitch left her without music. Instead of waiting, the Grammy-winning country singer improvised, saying, “I can just sing it,” before delivering an a capella rendition of the patriotic song.
Underwood had confirmed earlier this month that she would perform at Trump’s swearing-in ceremony. Her representatives, along with Grande’s, have not commented on the social media buzz.
The president’s inauguration festivities included a star-studded lineup at the inaugural ball later that evening. Performances featured Billy Ray Cyrus, Rascal Flatts, Parker McCollum, and Gavin DeGraw. Trump’s family also made headlines, with Ivanka Trump dazzling in custom Givenchy and Melania Trump swapping her wide-brimmed hat for a glamorous strapless gown.
While the performance has drawn mixed reactions, Underwood has yet to publicly address the chatter surrounding her a capella moment—or Ariana Grande’s subtle social media diss.
