It’s easy to see the similarities between powerhouse singers Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood (the former Voice coach even said she’s been mistaken for Underwood before). Both started as country singers, with each winning their season of American Idol and parlaying that success into international fame. When similarities exist between people, however, comparisons are made, and rumors of competition between the two have existed for years.
Allegations of beef flared up again, after both Idol champs each released a new album in June. Is there any bad blood between the two? Let’s take a look at what went down this summer to stoke the flames, as well as what they’ve said about the beef in the past:
Why Rumors Of A Kelly Clarkson/Carrie Underwood Feud Are Rising Again
Carrie Underwood released her ninth country album, Denim & Rhinestones, on June 10, one day after Kelly Clarkson’s EP Kellyoke came out on June 9. The Season 4 Idol winner allegedly took issue with the timing of their album drops, with a source telling Entertainment Times:
Carrie worked long and hard on her album. She co-wrote most of the songs and the lyrics came from her heart. Then there’s Kelly, putting out an EP of the cover made famous by other people. Kelly’s album was meant to be a fun record to listen to on summer road trips, but you can’t step on Carrie’s toes like that and not feel the consequences from Carrie and her fans.
The source went on to say that the two are not friends and never will be. They said the constant comparisons the singers face as winners of American Idol “drive them both crazy.”
What Have Kelly Clarkson And Carrie Underwood Said About The Supposed Feud?
Regardless of what the Idol champs actually think of each other, neither has done very much to publicly support the idea of a feud. In 2018, Kelly Clarkson attempted to quiet the rumors by posing with Carrie Underwood on the red carpet at the Radio Disney Music Awards. She said at the time (per Yahoo):
Everybody always tries to pit me and Carrie against each other. So, when I saw her I was like, ‘You know what? Let’s just end this right now and get a picture together because we are never in the same place.' And, like, it never happens. And people always try to put it together like we’re enemies. And I’m like, ‘We don’t even know each other well enough to be enemies.'
It’s true that the OG American Idol winner’s run came three years before Carrie Underwood’s, so it’s not like they competed together or took part in any Idol reunion shows. Kelly Clarkson went on to joke about the supposed tension between the two in a 2019 tweet:
Someone just sent me this & I’m like why does she get the good pic & I have the worst expression I’ve ever made w/zero muscles being used in my face ha! I officially have a feud w/whoever used this pic! At least give me a good pic if y’all are gonna be lying is all I’m sayin’💁🏼♀️🤣 pic.twitter.com/RWFnech5MTApril 19, 2019
Carrie Underwood has remained mum on the subject, but she did make a virtual appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2020, where the two spoke about Christmas movies and Christmas music, but they didn’t touch on their past or American Idol very much at all.
Whether or not there is any truth to the rumors, this doesn’t seem to be a narrative that Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are keen on continuing. While the inevitable comparisons between the two make it interesting that they released albums just one day apart this year, it’s not actual proof of beef. Kelly Clarkson is apparently working on an album of original music, and you can also catch her completely revamped talk show when it returns this fall. In the meantime, check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming up.
