Carrie Underwood Performs Nu-Metal Covers at Velocity Festival

Surprise Nu-Metal Set and Performance Details

Underwood’s performance at the Field of Dreams Movie Site featured a dedicated block of rock and Nu metal hits that caught the audience by surprise. During her headlining set on Saturday, the country star worked through a sequence of covers including Collective Soul’s “Shine,” Papa Roach’s “Scars,” and No Names Rock]’s “One Step Closer.”

The high-energy segment concluded with a performance of Limp Bizkit’s 1999 hit “Break Stuff.” For this final cover, Underwood performed a costume change, donning a backward red baseball cap as a nod to frontman Fred Durst. Fan-filmed footage of the set circulated widely online following the event, capturing the crowd’s reaction to the unexpected genre shift. Observers noted that Underwood largely sang around the song's explicit lyrics, frequently letting the crowd fill in the words instead of singing them herself.

Public reaction to the performance has been mixed. While some fans and critics praised the singer’s detour into late-1990s rock and her vocal versatility, others pushed back on the choice of material due to the aggressive and explicit nature of the lyrics in the Limp Bizkit track.

The 2026 Velocity Festival Lineup

Underwood served as the Saturday headliner for the 2026 Velocity Festival, a three-day event held on the 193-acre Iowa farm made famous by the 1989 film Field of Dreams. The festival expanded for its 2026 edition following the success of its inaugural run in 2025. On the day of her performance, Underwood was joined on the lineup by Default, Maggie Rose, and Danny Worsnop.

The festival’s weekend schedule featured a heavy emphasis on rock and genre-blending acts. Friday’s lineup was headlined by Shinedown alongside Lynyrd Skynyrd, while Creed closed out the festival on Sunday with Nate Smith and Filter. This rock-heavy programming tracks with the festival's established identity; in 2025, the debut two-day event was headlined by Tim McGraw and Nickelback at the same Dyersville site.

Underwood’s History with Rock and Metal

While the nu-metal covers surprised some festival-goers, the direction is consistent with Underwood’s long-standing affinity for rock and metal influences. The singer has repeatedly collaborated with major acts in the genre and integrated rock covers into her touring repertoire. She famously performed multiple times with Axl Rose of Guns N’ Roses and invited Joan Jett to join her on stage during her 2019 CMA Fest set. Underwood also regularly includes a cover of Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” in her concert performances.

In 2024, Underwood teamed up with Papa Roach for an updated version of their song “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark).” She later appeared on stage with the band in Las Vegas to showcase that collaboration and perform their hit “Last Resort.” Earlier this year, on May 11, Underwood joined Mötley Crüe during the finale of American Idol, where she currently serves as a judge. The collaboration included performances of “Home Sweet Home” and “Kickstart My Heart,” which earned a standing ovation from the studio audience.

Underwood’s connection to “Home Sweet Home” carries significant history, as she recorded her own studio version of the Mötley Crüe ballad in 2009. That rendition was notably used as the farewell song throughout American Idol Season 8. Her continued exploration of the genre range—which includes rock, metal, hard rock, and pop rock—remains a defining element of her live performances and professional collaborations.