Carrie Underwood Looks 'Unrecognizable' — 'American Idol' Alum Faces Backlash as Fans Lament New Selfie 'Doesn't Look Like You'
Carrie Underwood first appeared on 'American Idol' in 2005.
March 3 2026, Published 7:20 p.m. ET
Carrie Underwood has re-sparked rumors of plastic surgery with a new selfie, as some online critics claimed that she looked "unrecognizable," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
On Monday, March 2, the American Idol alum shared a photo of herself lying on the ground with three baby chicks perched on her chest. While many fans cooed over the adorable birds, others were left shocked and insisted they didn't recognize her from her younger days.
Carrie Underwood Fans Baffled
Some fans thought Underwood looked 'unrecognizable' in the selfie.
"Don’t forget to CHICK out the next episode of @AmericanIdol tonight at 8/7c on @abc!" Underwood captioned the snapshot.
One Instagram user wrote, "I'm sorry, who is that?" and another lamented, "Doesn't look like you."
A third person called her "unrecognizable," and a fourth fan noted that she "kinda looks like JLo."
Another critic urged her to "quit with the plastic surgery," and a separate social media user declared, "Not a fan of her new look. Looks fake."
Underwood has not confirmed whether she has undergone elective plastic surgery over the years. However, it was rumored that she had some form of reconstructive surgery done to her face after she suffered injuries from a serious fall in 2017.
Moose Meat Fiasco
Underwood faced backlash for sharing photos of moose stew.
This isn't the first time Underwood has faced bizarre backlash for her posts on social media. As Radar previously reported, the Before He Cheats singer was slammed after sharing photos of homemade moose stew following her past claims that she doesn't cook or eat meat.
"I'm not a good meat cooker because I'm not a meat eater, so I will do all the veggies and all the sides," she said of preparing dinner for her husband, Mike Fisher. "And if he wants meat, he gon' have to make that himself."
The singer previously said she did not cook or eat meat.
"Carrie made herself out to be a conscientious vegetarian who tries to eat clean, green, and healthy," an insider noted. "Mike is an avid hunter and may have killed the moose himself, but either way, it's sending shock waves among fans and animal activists that Carrie would have anything to do with it."
Added a source, "People are getting sick of her two-faced talk, some of them quite literally,"
Carrie Underwood Hits Back After She's Booed on 'American Idol'
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Underwood is a judge on 'American Idol'.
Two decades after Underwood took home the win on Season 4 of American Idol, she returned to the hit talent competition as a judge – and she isn't afraid to share her honest opinions, even if it means getting booed by the audience.
On the March 2 episode, the crowd voiced their disapproval after Underwood criticized a contestant for the choices they made during their performance.
"You guys are gonna boo me. You’re gonna boo me. It’s coming. Bring it on. I love it! Your boos are feeding me," she said, before telling the contestant, "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 a missed opportunity."
Underwood playfully emphasized the sentiment on social media once again live as the episode aired.
"Boo me," she said via X. "I don't care."
