Carrie Underwood faces boos, jeers from 'American Idol' fans: 'Boo me. I don't care.'

Country music star Carrie Underwood defended herself against “American Idol” fans who booed her when she gave critical feedback to contestants during the latest round of the reality singing competition, with tensions escalating after she criticized one singer’s decision to perform an original song. 

After facing boos and jeers from the audience during Monday’s episode, which took place during Hollywood Week, Underwood anticipated the backlash as she prepared to give constructive criticism to a 22-year-old contestant named Mor. 

"You guys are gonna boo me. You guys are gonna boo me. It's coming, just bring it on. I love it. Your boos are feeding me,” she said. 

Mor took a risk by singing an original song in the latest round of the competition, performing without a band and relying on his guitar. Before he began singing, the contestant told the audience the song was called "How to Love You."

The “Jesus Take the Wheel” singer told Mor that performing with an original song seemed like a “missed opportunity,” prompting boos from the audience. 

"In a room like this, for you to bring an original song with that incredible band sitting behind you twiddling their thumbs ... I feel like it was just a missed opportunity," she said. 

Carrie then offered opposite feedback, saying, "I love your voice. I love you. But I loved being in an intimate room like that with you and listening to you tell your story. I feel like you took a risk here and it paid off," according to People magazine. 

While Mor thanked the country music star for her feedback, the contestant said about his decision: “I loved being able to do that song for all those people.”

Following Monday’s episode, Underwood and her fellow “American Idol” judges narrowed the group of 127 contestants to 30 during Hollywood Week, according to TV Insider. Mor is among the top 30 who remain in the competition. 

The interaction with Mor wasn't the only time the audience booed Underwood. At one point during the episode, Luke Bryan defended her, noting that the country music singer had previously won the competition's fourth season. 

“She only won this,” Bryan said. “She knows.” 

Reflecting on the reactions from the audience during the latest “American Idol” episode, Underwood wrote in a Monday X post: “Singing original music is SUCH a gamble at this stage in the competition. Don’t. Waste. The. Band. Mor’s voice and previous audition kept him in. I wanna hear his original music after he’s a big star!”

In an earlier statement posted on X, Underwood responded to the boos with several laugh emojis, declaring: “Boo me. I don’t care.”

During an episode that aired at the beginning of the reality show’s 24th season, Underwood became emotional after “American Idol” contestant Hannah Harper auditioned with her original song “String Cheese.” The song details how Harper, a mother of three boys, found comfort through God during a time when she struggled with postpartum depression.

A sneak preview of the episode showed Underwood grabbing a tissue and wiping away tears after listening to the mother’s song. 

“Well, that’s just about the most relatable song I’ve ever heard,” the country music singer is heard saying in the clip.

Underwood, also a mother of two sons with her husband, former NHL player Mike Fisher, gave birth to her second child after suffering three consecutive miscarriages in 2017 and 2018, following the birth of her firstborn.

“I’ve always wanted to be a good daughter to my parents but also to God and not complain, because we are beyond blessed,” the singer said in a 2019 interview with People magazine. “I get to do what I love, I have an incredible family. I have Mike, I have Isaiah, I have great parents. I have all of these amazing people around me, and I don’t want to complain, ever.”

“But the miscarriages made me get real with God and say, ‘OK, I’m kind of giving up a little bit. If this isn’t meant to happen, then I need to accept that and know that someday I’ll understand why.’”