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Carrie Underwood Surprises Velocity Festival Crowd with Nu-Metal Covers
Confirmed
In Short: Carrie Underwood surprised the Velocity Festival crowd in Dyersville, Iowa, with a rock-heavy set that included nu-metal covers, marking a departure from her usual country sound.
During her performance on September 5, 2026, Underwood covered Limp Bizkit's 'Break Stuff,' donning a backward red baseball cap to match the band's frontman Fred Durst's style.
The festival, held at the Field of Dreams Movie Site, featured several other rock selections, reflecting Underwood's long-standing interest in heavier music.
Underwood also performed songs by Collective Soul, Papa Roach, and Linkin Park, including 'Shine,' 'Scars,' and 'One Step Closer,' before closing with 'Break Stuff.
This genre-blending approach aligns with the festival's identity, which has included rock acts like Tim McGraw and Nickelback in previous years.
Underwood's rock influences have been evident in her career, with past collaborations with acts like Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe, and even a cover of Mötley Crüe's 'Home Sweet Home' on American Idol.
The singer's performance at Velocity Festival further cements her versatility and willingness to experiment with different musical styles on stage.
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- The performance fits with Underwood’s history of bringing rock influences into her live shows.
- Carrie Underwood added an unexpected dose of nu-metal to her set at the Velocity Festival in Dyersville, Iowa, on September 5, 2026.
- During the performance, the country star covered Limp Bizkit’s 1999 song Break Stuff, giving the crowd a sharp change of pace from her usual material.
- Carrie Underwood surprised the crowd at Iowa’s Velocity Festival on Saturday (Sept.
- Underwood topped Saturday’s bill at the 2026 Velocity Festival, a three-day event that expanded this year following the success of its 2025 debut.
- The genre-blending, rock-heavy bill tracks with the festival’s identity since its inaugural year, when Tim McGraw and Nickelback headlined its first two-day run at the same site — the 193-acre Iowa farm made famous by the 1989 film Field of Dreams.
- Earlier this year, during the May 11 finale of American Idol — where she serves as a judge — Underwood joined Mötley Crüe for performances of “Home Sweet Home” and “Kickstart My Heart,” earning a standing ovation from the studio audience.
- “Home Sweet Home” carries added history for Underwood, who recorded her own version of the Mötley Crüe ballad in 2009 for use as the farewell song during American Idol Season 8.