Katy Perry and Carrie Underwood reunited at a special event honoring Dolly Parton, but a photo of the two singers together quickly caught fans’ attention for an unexpected reason. Instead of focusing on the celebration, some social media users questioned the distance between the former and current American Idol judges, with several describing their red-carpet moment as awkward and even “forced.”
Perry and Underwood attended CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton on October 21 at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. Both stars came together to honor the country music legend, who died in August at the age of 80.
However, when the singers posed for a photo, fans noticed that they appeared to leave a noticeable gap between them. Rather than standing close together, the two women held onto each other’s arms. Underwood’s large ballgown and its long train may have also made it difficult for Perry to move closer.
One user on X joked that Perry looked as though she did not want to take the picture, while another suggested that she had been “forced” to pose with Underwood.
A third commenter pointed to the political controversy surrounding Underwood’s performance at Donald Trump’s 2025 presidential inauguration, writing that Perry appeared to be keeping her distance from someone who had sung at the event.
Katy Perry @katyperry and Carrie Underwood @carrieunderwood together at the Red Carpet of “I Will Always Love You: A Dolly Parton Celebration”.
American Idol Judges Reunion!.
@CountryMusic https://t.co/F8PdOWWwQl— ChartsCarrieUnderwood (@CarrieUWCharts) October 22, 2026
A behind-the-scenes video from the red carpet offered a closer look at the interaction. The footage showed the singers posing separately before seemingly being asked to take a photo together. Underwood laughed and gestured for Perry to move around to her other side to avoid the train of her dress, although the gown still appeared to limit how closely they could stand.
Despite the critical comments, not everyone saw the moment as uncomfortable. Some fans welcomed the reunion and focused on the shared occasion rather than the space between the singers.
“Katy and Carrie celebrating Dolly Parton. This is so sweet,” one supporter wrote on X.
The photo has drawn attention in part because Perry and Underwood share a connection through American Idol. Underwood replaced Perry on the judging panel in 2024 after the pop star departed the competition to focus on her music career.
Perry served as a judge for seven seasons alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Underwood is now preparing for her third season on the show, returning alongside Bryan and Richie when American Idol begins its 25th season in 2027.
The Dolly Parton tribute brought together several major names in country music to celebrate the legendary singer’s career and influence. Reba McEntire, Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, Brad Paisley and Lainey Wilson were among the artists who attended the special event.
Although the reunion between Perry and Underwood was only one moment during the celebration, their photo quickly became a talking point online. Whether the distance was simply caused by Underwood’s elaborate gown or reflected an awkward interaction, the image left fans debating what they saw on the red carpet.
