Carrie Underwood has been in the spotlight for two decades, which means she’s dealt with plenty of comments, both negative and positive. Now that she has stepped up to be a judge on American Idol, she is seeing first-hand what the contestants of today are dealing with when they receive criticism online.
During a recent interview with Parade, Underwood, 42, spoke about her time on Idol before becoming the winner in 2005. She said, at the time, she faced public scrutiny, but not at a level that promising artists do nowadays.
Carrie Underwood Reflects On Winning American Idol And How Social Media Has Changed
Reflecting on before she won the crown, she told the outlet, “When I was on the show 20 years ago, we had message boards. So that was kind of the beginning of social media. But you had to seek it out a little more. Now, it’s in your face no matter what you do.”
Underwood also touched on how the social media landscape has changed over time, saying an online presence is an integral part of a music artist, just as they have to get seen to get to the next level of their career. “If you are an aspiring musician, you have to put yourself on social media. It’s part of the deal because you want to gain fans, and it’s such a huge way to do that,” she noted.
Breanna Nix Has Faced Online Hate During American Idol
American Idol contestants have to do the same, despite having a built-in platform on television. Their job doesn’t end after each broadcast. They have to continue to promote themselves, and remind viewers to vote for them. Though not necessarily a requirement, Idol contestants can benefit by showing their face online post-show as a way to grow a following. Thus, connecting with users on social media is nearly unavoidable as a rising star.
Breanna Nix is just one example of an artist who has dealt with online hate. The faith and country-leaning contestant, who is currently competing for the Season 23 Idol prize, having made it into the Top 7, recently delivered a powerful rendition of Danny Gokey’s “Tell Your Heart To Beat Again.” Ahead of her performance, she told mentor Fantasia that she had received some backlash from folks online about her choice of clothing.
“I feel like the show has been a wonderful blessing for me, but the hate, sometimes on the Internet…,” Nix said. “Being a Christian, there are a lot of opinions that come with it: ‘That is not what a Christian should wear’ or ‘a Christian shouldn’t sing a song like that.’ I had a comment that said, ‘She’s not a Christian anymore,’ and it devastated me.”
Internet Trolls Are “Some Of The Most Toxic People On The Planet”
Underwood explained to the outlet that internet trolls are ‘some of the most toxic people on the planet,’ and while it’s difficult at times, you have to learn to ignore the comments as it just comes with the territory of being a public figure.
“It’s social media, and it’s its own animal,” Underwood assured. “And some of the most toxic people on the planet are the ones that are running things and posting things the most. So, becoming comfortable within yourself and what you do, putting it out there for people to see, and looking at the people that you like to follow [is my advice]. But then, do you really care what somebody you’ve never met before and are never going to see cares about you? Don’t worry about it. Do your thing.”
How Carrie Underwood Deals With Online Hate And Social Media?
During an episode of American Idol, in which contestants celebrated members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Underwood shared a trick she uses when the negative attention — particularly online — gets too much.
“It’s called ‘post and ghost,’” she shared, giving her solution a title. “You put your stuff on social media, and you don’t look at the comments. That’s how I live my life, man. Anybody who thinks they’re yelling at me or insulting me, or telling me I’m a certain way or 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. So, post and ghost people.”
For more information on Carrie Underwood, visit her official website.
