American Idol’s ninth season on ABC (and 24th overall) is beginning to wind down with the recent start of the live shows amid the 2026 TV schedule, and the fans have been quite vocal. Not only did they shatter voting records, but those in the crowd have made sure that they’re heard as well. That's particularly true when it comes to judge Carrie Underwood, who has been sharing brutally honest thoughts with contestants and bringing in a lot of boos in the process. However, Underwood doesn’t care about the blowback.

If anyone on Idol knows what it takes to win, it’s a judge who's also been that winner. Underwood is one of the most famous American Idol contestants, as she won Season 4 back in 2005. She's been on the other side of the judges’ table, and I could imagine that's partially why she has been so harsh with feedback. When Underwood appeared on the American Idol Official Podcast with fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, host Danielle Fishel brought up how she gave some “constructive criticism” about moments that were magical and moments that weren’t as good and got booed yet again. Underwood just had three simple words to say about it all:

Underwood previously took to social media to address the boos she’s gotte, revealing on X in early March that she got “booed A LOT” during Hollywood Week and, at that point, she also said she didn’t care. Her fellow judges have come to her defense, but it seems this all just comes with the territory. With Underwood having the experience she does, it makes sense for her to be a little harsher and have more critiques. However, during her appearance on the podcast, the "Before He Cheats" singer shared an even deeper explanation for her approach:

From the outside looking in, it seems quite tough being in the position Underwood, Bryan and Richie are in. American Idol continues to be watched by millions over two decades after its premiere on Fox, and viewers still seem to be quite invested in the contestants and the feedback they receive. Naturally, though, there are going to be times when a judge disagrees with how a performance played out and, again, having the experience they have, they just want to do right by the contestant to make sure they're receiving good feedback. I really appreciate just how candid Underwood is in driving that point home.

Carrie Underwood joined American Idol last season as a judge, replacing Katy Perry, who departed at the end of Season 7 to focus on her music. Her inclusion on the show coincided with the 20th anniversary of her win, and, unsurprisingly, she was pretty nostalgic when she stepped back into the Idol world. She still seems to be loving it, even with all the boos.

I wouldn't be surprised if Underwood dished out more constructive criticism on Idol and, with that, there may also be more boos from the crowd. At the very least, kudos to Underwood for her honesty and thick skin.

New episodes of American Idol air live on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and are streamable with a Disney+ subscription.

American Idol fans are likely pleased to know that Carrie Underwood will again sit alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie when the singing competition’s 24th season kicks off on the 2026 TV schedule. Not only is she returning as a judge for a second season of the singing competition she won two decades ago, she’s also trying to impact pop culture. The country music star pitched an idea for ending the viral “6-7” trend, and she might be onto something.

In-person auditions have begun for American Idol Season 24, as evidenced by an amusing video of Carrie Underwood talking to a potential contestant named Uzziah. The phrase “6-7” gets brought up — as it does oh so often these days — and she shared a pretty brilliant idea for making it all stop:

In the video — posted, appropriately, 67 days before American Idol returns on January 26 — the hopeful contestant mentions hearing kids say, “6-7” all day. Carrie Underwood responds by doing the corresponding hand movement before enlisting Uzziah’s help in ending the trend. She said:

Carrie Underwood has two boys at home, born in 2015 and 2019, and as someone with a teen and a pre-teen myself, I stand in solidarity. Honestly, what did schools think was going to happen when they started banning the phrase? That’s a good way to ensure the longevity of a trend, not the end of it.

To that point, I agree with Carrie Underwood and Uzziah here — I think this could work. Not because I think kids know (or care) about the Tommy Tutone song “867-5309/Jenny” from the ‘80s, but because nothing kills the vibes quicker than when mom starts singing.

Admittedly, this is probably not true in Carrie Underwood’s case, but the quickness with which I can empty a room is impressive, and my girls will be scurrying in double-time if the tune I’m singing has the numbers “6-7” in it. Even without the singing part of it, when adults start using popular slang terms, it’s time to retire them (the slang, not the adults).

So far, Dictionary.com making it its Word of the Year for 2025 hasn’t deterred those Gen Alphas, so it’s possible that the invincibility of “6-7” is as nonsensical as its meaning. As for what it means, exactly, it’s one of the more unsatisfying responses you’ll get from Google or Urban Dictionary or wherever you go when you’re too ashamed to ask a real person. Its popularity stems from the rap song “Doot Doot (6 7)” by Skrilla, and Dictionary.com basically says it’s a catch-all word with no definition.

Wow, dictionary, you had literally one job. The entry reads, in part:

Will enough people attempt Carrie Underwood’s strategy of phasing out the term? Will something different and even more nonsensical take its place? I certainly can’t say, but I can tune in to see American Idol try to find the next music superstar who can impart their own will on pop culture. Season 24 kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Monday, January 26 on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

American Idol may not be returning before the end of the 2025 TV schedule as the new season will be premiering in 2026, but fans are already speculating who could be part of the judges’ panel. The latest season of the long-running singing competition series saw returning judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, with Idol winner Carrie Underwood joining the fun. There have been rumors that Underwood might be leaving the show already, and Bryan is also part of those rumors, but the latter is weighing in on his future on American Idol.

Bryan has been a judge on Idol since the show was revived in 2018, along with Richie. Katy Perry, who also had been on since the revival, exited in 2024 to focus more on her music and was replaced by Underwood. While it’s unknown who will be returning and if anyone will be leaving, Bryan told Taste of Country that Underwood’s first season on the other side of the table was a success:

Considering Underwood nearly quit American Idol during her season as a competitor before she won the whole thing and then came back as a judge 20 years later, she is a walking ad for how your life can change because of the show. She’s one of the most famous Idol contestants, and it was so great seeing her as a judge this past season, knowing what those contestants are going through. Despite the rumors, Bryan shared his prediction on Underwood returning, and they’re pretty good:

It can be assumed that American Idol will be going out on the road soon to begin auditions for the next season, meaning that the judges could be announced any day now. Whether or not Underwood is among them is unknown, and it’s also unknown if Bryan will be returning. As of the time of the interview, even he didn't know:

As previously mentioned, the country star has been on Idol since the show was revived, but he seems to be having a good time with it; otherwise, he surely wouldn’t continue to do it. While Bryan remains busy with his music and his touring, he revealed how much fun he had last season with his fellow judges despite the reported feud with Richie:

At this point, it’s really anyone’s guess as to who will return. Even though Luke Bryan has a great time on the show, it’s hard to tell if he will be up to returning, as well as Carrie Underwood. There’s no word on Lionel Richie thinking about leaving, so he is probably safe. But as for Bryan, all fans really have to do is wait and see:

Of course, American Idol has switched up the judges’ panel over the course of its entire run, so it wouldn’t be surprising if that were to happen again. But the wait will just have to continue until an official announcement is made.

American Idol Season 23 was huge for the singing competition when it aired on the 2025 TV schedule, because for the first time since it premiered in 2002, its judging panel featured one of the stars it helped to create. Carrie Underwood replaced Katy Perry alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, but after just one season, there’s already speculation that she may already be on her way out. The reason, however, might not be what fans think.

Carrie Underwood’s return to American Idol after winning Season 4 in 2005 was met with mixed reviews, with some fans calling her “bland” (isn’t everyone “bland” in comparison to Katy Perry, though?) and saying she had a tough time making big cuts. While no official decision for the competition’s 24th season has yet been announced, if Underwood is one-and-done, a source for Life&Style alleges it won’t be because she wasn’t a good judge. The insider reports:

The source suggests that being away from husband of 15 years Mike Fisher and their children, 10-year-old Isaiah and 6-year-old Jacob, was a struggle when American Idol was taping. The insider suggests Carrie Underwood is “nowhere near throwing in the towel,” but if this issue affected her so badly in just her first season, how realistically sustainable could this job be for her? They continued:

While many fans loved seeing the “Before He Cheats” artist come full circle on her Idol journey, there were some rumblings of tension. Carrie Underwood drew backlash over her perceived treatment of eventual winner Jamal Roberts. The seemingly tense relationship started in the auditions, with the country music singer calling out Roberts’ lack of stage presence, and that attitude seemed to carry throughout the season into the finale.

There have also been reports that the Season 4 champion took issue with earning just half of the reported $25 million that Katy Perry was making in the position. And while Ryan Seacrest was reportedly taking steps to ensure she would return for multiple seasons, the host allegedly drew Carrie Underwood’s ire when he failed to introduce her during American Idol’s first live show of Season 23.

It would be wild if the American Idol judge exited the show after just one season, forcing producers back into hiring mode, but if the source above is correct, it sounds like the distance from her family may be the biggest issue to overcome. Stay tuned for any news regarding what will go down in Season 24.

American Idol is continuing to search for the next winner on the 2025 TV schedule, with someone joining the long legacy of singers very soon. Some of the most famous American Idol contestants include Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Carrie Underwood, who has returned to the series this season to judge. While Underwood won Season 4 20 years ago and has gone on to win multiple Grammys, she nearly quit before her life changed forever.

Underwood auditioned for American Idol back in 2004, and she still has a memento from the audition to remember how far she’s come. But that was almost the only thing she took from her experience, rather than the win. The “Cry Pretty” singer looked back at her Idol journey in a new video, and even read from her journal from that period. And young Underwood was not very confident that she’d go all the way. At least, not at first:

It’s unknown when during her time on American Idol Underwood thought about going home, but it seems like even while writing in her journal, she was hyping herself up and talking herself out of it. It’s a good thing she did, too, or else things would have been very different. Of course, it’s not surprising that she would have those thoughts, since it can be very intimidating being on a show like American Idol, but she was right. The judges certainly thought she was good enough to be there, and pretty soon after, much of the country thought so, too.

After reading through the journal entry, Underwood reflected on that time and how she was able to talk herself into staying. But she never really got into the mindset of winning until she kept getting closer and closer. The singer revealed just how she was feeling every time she got through, and even at one point, she thought about how much easier it would be for her to ease into a job when she did eventually go home. As she explained:

It’s hard to imagine just what exactly goes through the minds of contestants on shows like American Idol and The Voice, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Carrie Underwood’s journal entry perfectly matched most of them. It makes the fact that she wound up winning even better, especially now that she’s on the other side of it as a judge.

As for American Idol present, many cuts have been made, and there are still a few more episodes left until fans find out who wins this season. At this point, there’s no telling who could take home the win, but it should still be entertaining to watch the performances on Sundays and Mondays on ABC.

I’m here to come clean: I’ve never watched a full episode of American Idol on the 2025 TV schedule, or at any other time. I’m old enough to clearly remember the hype when it started, and was obviously aware of the show’s incredible popularity, especially in the early years of the 21st century.

I’m also not saying that I have no working knowledge of how the show works or what the singing competition is all about. I’ve seen clips here and there over the last couple of decades, and I know through cultural osmosis how it all works. But until Sunday, I’d never sat down and watched a show from start to finish, and let me say, I had a lot of WTF thoughts and questions.

I Wasn’t Actually Watching For The Competition, Which Leads To My First Question

Full confession: I was watching this week's show to see the announcement of the 2025 inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I have to say, I was pretty disappointed in how little time they spent on that. Host Carson Daly announced the seven honorees and that was that. There wasn’t a montage of the artists and barely any photos of them. It wasn't anything other than Daly reading their names with one accompanying photo and moving on to the next part of the show. They didn’t even mention the other nominees who missed out or talk about the fan vote (which seems ironic for a show like American Idol).

I get that the show wasn’t supposed to be about the inductees, but they did advertise that the theme was “The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Show,” and that the artists earning a spot in the hall would be announced. So I guess I expected a least a little bit more than just a rote reading of the names. Maybe it’s just that they didn’t think any of the seven honorees, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, The White Stripes, OutKast, and Joe Cocker would appeal much to American Idol fans. I don’t know, but it was annoying.

What Was Carrie Underwood Wearing?

The show opened with Carrie Underwood performing Heart’s classic “Alone,” which apparently was a big part of her season when she won 20 years ago. As an aside, has it really been that long since Underwood broke out? Wow. I have to say, the performance was actually pretty electric and ended up being the biggest highlight of the show for me. Her outfit for her performance was great, but what was she wearing for the rest of the show as a judge (her first season as one)?

With the theme of the show ostensibly being “rock and roll,” it seems like Underwood decided to hit up a Spirit Halloween store and buy a costume called “1980s Rock Singer.” She was wearing a bandana and an outfit that vaguely recalled Axl Rose in Guns ‘N Roses' heyday. The other two judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, were dressed normally, and that made the weird wardrobe choice stand out even more.

Why Is This Show So Sparkly?

About halfway through the two-hour show, I really took notice of how sparkly everything on the show was. Almost every costume was glittery and filled with sequins, even Carrie Underwood’s microphone was bedazzled. Then I noticed that all the lights on the set were sparkling like the midnight sky. It was almost too much, and I love sparkles.

Everything about American Idol is over-the-top. It’s a complete overload in some respects, and the shininess of everything really brought that home. I think one thing that has always turned me off of the whole show is that slickness. It has a sheen that makes it seem inauthentic to me. The singers and the contestants are fabulous singers and performers, but the presentation feels too fake to me.

Does Lionel Richie Talk Over Everyone All The Time?

Let me say first, I adore Lionel Richie. When I was a kid, Richie was in the prime of his solo career, and I love his music, going back to The Commodores. I love that he’s found a cultural relevance with an entirely new generation because he deserves it. That said, why does he constantly make comments over the other judges throughout the show?

Does he do it all the time? Are people afraid to tell him to stop? Every time Luke Bryan or Carrie Underwood made comments, there was Richie in the background saying “yes!” or “mmmhmmmm” or other annoying peanut gallery-like comments. I like that none of the judges are jerks, like they used to be, but the comments from Richie were distracting.

Finally, Why Is All The Music Kind Of The Same?

It seems especially noticeable in a show about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that all of the music on American Idol is kinda the same. It basically falls into two categories: big showtune-like numbers with lots of vocal acrobatics, and country crooning. Why isn’t there more diversity in styles?

The Hall of Fame inductees announced show just how diverse things can be. Why not more hip hop, for example? Or music like The White Stripes or Soundgarden? Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell had a legendarily amazing voice, but there isn’t anyone like him on the show, and to my (admittedly limited) knowledge, there never has been. Has there ever been a rapper? It’s not The Voice, why must it all be the same kind of singers?

All that aside, one thing I was struck by was just how talented the band is. I spent a lot of time thinking about how hard the backing musicians and singers must work. They have to learn and rehearse a tremendous amount of material for a season of American Idol and work with a huge number of different singers, pulling together the music to complement each one. They deserve a lot of praise (and to be paid well) and I hope that they get some, though something tells me they don’t get enough.

Ultimately, I don't think the show won me over, but I do have a greater appreciation for why it's is so popular. There is no question that there is talent oozing from every corner of the show, from the judges to the band to the contestants. Just lay off the bedazzler.

When American Idol airs live Sunday on the 2025 TV schedule, we’ll kick off the finals of its 23rd season, with the Top 14 taking the stage to honor the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees. It was not an easy road to pare the 144 contestants who made it past auditions down to just 14, and it sounds like Katy Perry’s replacement, Carrie Underwood, may have struggled more than her counterparts when it came to sending artists home.

On the April 21 episode — which included a huge Ryan Seacrest gaffe that might have already had Carrie Underwood upset — the field was cut from 20 singers down to 14. Fan votes determined the first 10, then Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were tasked with picking the last four. That meant crushing six artists’ dreams all at once, which the Season 4 champion said was nearly too much for her. Underwood told USA TODAY:

Coming back to American Idol as a judge 20 years after she won the show has been quite the nostalgia kick for Carrie Underwood, and you have to imagine she’s recalling how it felt for her fate to be in the hands of the three people on the other side of that table. It’s absolutely no surprise that she would find this first big elimination tough, especially on live TV.

While she appeared to downplay the drama, saying they were “pretty much aligned,” and ultimately happy with the singers they chose to move forward, Lionel Richie painted a slightly more hectic picture of the decision that had to be made in the time of one commercial break. He said:

Luke Bryan agreed that quick decisions had to be (and were) made. He said there were two contestants who they all agreed on to advance, but choosing the other two out of the eight remaining hopefuls proved to be pretty difficult.

In the end, considering their "whole body of work" up to that point in the show, Josh King, Ché Chesterman, Desmond Roberts and Amanda Barise got the judges’ nods. The six less-fortunate singers included Baylee Littrell (son of Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell) and Zaylie Windsor, who Carrie Underwood had compared to Taylor Swift during her audition.

I’m sure the eliminations aren’t going to get easier from here on out, but we’ll have to see how Carrie Underwood handles it all. The finals kick off at 8 p.m. ET April 27 and continue Monday, April 28, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

As American Idol Season 23 continues on the 2025 TV schedule, more and more contestants are getting cut each week, making the competition all the more brutal. However, it seems some brutal moments mayve taken place off-screen ater Ryan Seacrest made a specific Idol gaffe for what may be the first time ever. And first-time judge Carrie Underwood, one of the most famous American Idol contestants of all time, did not look happy.

Monday’s first live show of the season was pretty exciting, as fans were able to see the contestants performing live after all the auditions and pre-taped rounds, meaning they're one step closer to finding out who will be this season’s American Idol. In all the excitement, though, longtime host Seacrest actually failed to mention Underwood after introducing Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Although Underwood’s reaction was not shown, an insider told The U.S. Sun that the new judge was allegedly furious:

It’s unknown whether there’s anything going on between Seacrest and Underwood, but it’s possible that either he just forgot in the moment to mention the singer, or that his microphone just simply didn’t pick it up. Whatever the case may be, it appears she was not happy one bit over it, and she even apparently even commented on it to Luke Bryan as well. What I would give to be a fly on the wall for that brief conversation, which apparently went like this:

Even though it’s Carrie Underwood’s first season as a judge, she has proven that she has what it takes, especially when it comes to some big decisions she has to make. While things may be going well for her on-screen, there is no telling what is going on behind the scenes. Underwood and Seacrest go way back to when the Grammy winner was on American Idol’s fourth season, and it’s been great seeing them together again this season. But it’s hard to tell what this slip-up will do to their friendship and work relationship, whether intentional or not.

Meanwhile, American Idol is not the only job that has been giving Ryan Seacrest a hard time. He’s been hosting Wheel of Fortune since last fall following Pat Sajak’s retirement, and fans had strong opinions about his hosting gig. It also doesn’t help that Seacrest has made some fumbles, with people comparing him to how Sajak did things. It’s not so surprising, though, considering Sajak hosted Wheel for multiple decades, and it’s not easy to get used to a new host. For Vanna White, it's been an adjustment, and despite some bumps in the road, it seems she and Seacrest are doing well.

Ryan Seacrest has done a lot of hosting over the course of his career on top of American Idol and Wheel of Fortune, and even then, it would be expected for him to make a mistake or two. It’s hard to tell what really happened, and it should be interesting to see what vibes are like in these remaining episodes.

Carrie Underwood’s first season as judge on American Idol continues to be a highlight of the 2025 TV schedule. As one of the most famous American Idol contestants, winning Season 4 in 2005, she’s returned to her old stomping grounds 20 years later to help find the next Idol winner. Since the episodes currently airing are still pre-taped, with live shows yet to come, Underwood has been watching every week, and she shared a solid routine to get through it that earned a stamp of approval from Candace Cameron Bure.

It's not always easy for a performer to watch themselves or hear themselves, but Underwood takes it in stride. The Grammy winner took to Instagram to share how she prepares herself to watch new episodes of American Idol with a fresh boule and glass of vino, and it’s certainly the perfect way:

Whether this is a weekly routine for Underwood or done just for this week’s episode is unknown, but it’s certainly a good idea for anyone who has to watch themselves. Or simply celebrating another great singer. Many fans took to the comments but not to share their thoughts on Underwood’s routine. Plenty shared how much they loved her natural look, and Bure couldn’t help but share her praise, too:

I certainly did not expect Bure to comment, but now it’s like they’re a duo I never knew I needed. Plus, if anyone knows what it’s like to watch themselves on TV, it would be her. She’s been watching Full House for the first time in ages, and she recently realized why the show hasn’t been off the air in 35 years. It also wouldn’t be surprising if their paths have crossed once or twice, considering how long they both have been in the industry.

Even though Bure has been on The Masked Singer, she probably won’t be going to American Idol any time soon to serve as a guest judge, so for now, fans will probably have to settle with social media interactions between Bure and Underwood. But it would be fun to see those two together. Perhaps Underwood can join Bure in a movie on GAF, since the latter is proving to be quite the staple on the network since leaving Hallmark Channel.

Meanwhile, it was announced in July that Carrie Underwood would be replacing Katy Perry as judge since Perry wanted to step back to focus on her music. It’s been a nostalgia-filled trip, especially for those who watched Underwood on Idol back in the day. Seeing her glow-up now is certainly incredible, but she still keeps a memento from her auditions, which is nice since she’s blown up since those days.

Carrie Underwood is officially back on American Idol 20 years after she won the show. Of course, now — as Season 23 airs on the 2025 TV schedule — she’s on the other side of things, judging up-and-comers alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. If the March 30 episode is any indication, she’s doing a pretty good job, as she may have found the next Taylor Swift. Underwood compared one auditioner to the Eras Tour artist, and the similarities are kind of unbelievable.

On the final day of auditions, 18-year-old Zaylie Windsor stood before the judges to sing an original song she called “The Used” while strumming her own guitar. The veteran judges were split, with Lionel Richie voting yes and Luke Bryan saying the teen wasn’t quite ready. That left Carrie Underwood as the tie-breaker, and she said:

Carrie Underwood seemed to be struggling to make her decision, or maybe she was just choosing her words carefully. American Idol has evolved a lot over two decades, and the country music star said coming into this gig that her judging philosophy was to be constructive and not just critical.

In the end, Zaylie Williams had an undeniable vibe that Carrie Underwood just couldn’t ignore. She told the singer:

Yes, I couldn’t agree more that there is something about this artist. Zaylie Williams has such strong Taylor Swift vibes that she may as well have walked out and announced it was time for her acoustic set before breaking into some surprise songs.

Not only does the artist have the look — blonde hair with bangs — but she writes her own music, penning her audition song “The Used” when she was just 14. As previously mentioned, she also plays guitar, as does Taylor Swift, and the American Idol contestant showed some of that Swiftie hustle by immediately volunteering to play something different when Luke Bryan questioned the maturity of her songwriting.

As if that all wasn’t enough, Zaylie Williams had one other quality that people often associate with The Tortured Poets Department’s chairman — her subject matter. Of “The Used,” the 18-year-old said:

I mean, tell me you’re a Swiftie without telling me you’re a Swiftie. You can see the whole audition for yourself below:

Carrie Underwood went with her instincts and sent Zaylie Williams through to Hollywood, so we’ll have to see if she can thrive in American Idol’s competitive environment. We won’t have to wait long, either, as Hollywood Week starts immediately.

Tune in as American Idol adds Monday nights to its schedule, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET March 31 on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription. Friendship bracelets are optional.

As part of your 2025 TV premiere schedule, American Idol made its return on March 9th, along with longtime judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. However, a new addition to the competition series was beloved Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, who replaced Katy Perry this year as judge. Before the season 23 premiere, showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick got real about one big “decision” the country singer previously made.

Back in January, before American Idol’s 23rd season premiered, Carrie Underwood performed “America the Beautiful” at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Despite her beautiful rendition of the patriotic tune, her decision to perform at the inauguration came with some fan backlash. However, showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick weighed in with The Wrap on Underwood’s big “decision” to sing at the then-president-elect’s inauguration, and here’s what she said:

Megan Michaels Wolflick also pointed out that Carrie Underwood “handled very well” the technical difficulties her inauguration performance faced. After her backing music was glitching, the “Before He Cheats” singer continued to sing her song in acapella. Michaels Wolflick continued to say how she believed Underwood's American Idol roots possibly played a big role in how she was able to handle herself at the inauguration:

It’s true that whenever you perform on live TV, you have to be mentally prepared to manage any unexpected mishaps. Through Carrie Underwood’s quick thinking and calmness, you’d completely forget there were ever any backing track glitches.

Just when you thought Carrie Underwood and Katy Perry couldn’t have more in common with each other. After all, the two are top-selling artists, they’ve both had Las Vegas residencies, and now both have American Idol and inauguration connections. It proves that Perry handed the torch to the best person who can take her place on the judge’s panel.

The Teenage Dream singer did, indeed, sing “Firework” triumphantly during Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021. Not to mention Jennifer Lopez, who was a recurring judge on American Idol until the show’s FOX cancellation, also sang at Biden’s inauguration tunes like “This Land Is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful.” The tradition of American Idol judges performing at presidential inaugurations highlights artists taking the stage to be a part of historic moments.

Just as American Idol’s new season begins, its showrunner, Megan Michaels Wolflick, clearly respects Carrie Underwood’s big “decision” to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration. From choosing to be an American Idol contestant to later becoming a judge on the same show, the “Jesus, Take the Wheel” singer indeed isn’t afraid to embrace opportunities made available for her. New episodes of American Idol premiere every Sunday at 8/7c as well as streaming on your Hulu subscription.

Since 2002, American Idol has been giving singing hopefuls the chance to shine and show the country what they’re capable of. Now in its 23^rd season on the 2025 TV schedule, the series continues to do so. With Carrie Underwood returning to her old stomping grounds to help find the next American Idol, she revealed the sweet memento she’s had since her first run on Idol, and I absolutely love it.

Underwood competed in Season 4 back in 2005 and has gone on to be one of the most famous contestants from the singing competition. Before becoming a judge on the current season, she’s returned to the show a few times to perform or help contestants. Despite her eight Grammys, the “Cry Pretty” singer has never forgotten where she came from, and it helps that she even has a piece of her audition always with her. While appearing on The Tonight Show with her fellow judges, Underwood shared the memento she’s had for 20 years, and it’s everything:

The fact that Underwood had kept the sticker from her audition and probably tucked it away someplace throughout her time on American Idol is one thing, but keeping it after all these years, knowing how much has changed since then, is pretty incredible. For Underwood when looking back at that time, whether it’s looking through the photo book she has or watching back when she won, it’s still hard for her to comprehend:

It seems fitting that Underwood is returning to American Idol as a judge 20 years after she won. There really is no one better to help find the next winner than someone who has been through it and came out on top. It’s why it was so great seeing Idol’s first winner, Kelly Clarkson, being a coach on The Voice, as she more than a few times brought up the fact that she “navigated” a similar competition.

Of course, returning to American Idol is nostalgic for Carrie Underwood, especially when it comes to returning to venues where she did American Idol. That being said, being a judge is not all it’s cracked up to be since Underwood is now the one judging rather than being judged and really has to put in her two cents. But if anyone knows what it takes to be on Idol, it’s definitely her, but at least she can provide an interesting perspective for the contestants.

As American Idol continues Season 23, there will surely be more nostalgic moments for Underwood and for longtime fans. Perhaps some contestants will even keep their own mementos to look back on 20 years from now because you never know what could happen on American Idol. It should be fun seeing who is the next winner in a few months. New episodes air on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

American Idol fans got their first real glimpse of Carrie Underwood as Katy Perry’s replacement during the American Idol audition special that aired on the 2025 TV schedule after the Academy Award winners were announced Sunday night, and wow, things certainly have changed. The Season 4 winner will officially make her debut as the new judge when Season 23 kicks off March 9, but it’s already obvious to her (and Lionel Richie) how much things have changed.

It’s been 20 years since Carrie Underwood stood in front of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson in the audition that would lead to her being named the winner of American Idol Season 4. Back then the show (which aired on Fox for its first 15 seasons) sprinkled in some bad auditions among its uber-talented hopefuls, basically just to embarrass them for the audience’s entertainment. Underwood told EW:

Gone are the days where people like William Hung were encouraged to sing in front of the judges for the sole purpose of being laughed at and insulted (although he did get the last laugh, becoming one of Idol’s most famous contestants). Removing that aspect was a big change made when American Idol was rebooted on ABC for Season 16, and Underwood noted that they want to give the singers feedback that can help them grow.

Lionel Richie, who continues his role as a judge alongside Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan, added that while the old way may have been more entertaining for a TV audience, today they give artists more grace. He said:

I love that regardless of if the artists make it through to Hollywood week, this current trio of judges wants everyone to be able to take something away from their audition.

In Carrie Underwood’s time, Simon Cowell was known for being especially harsh — though it’s been said that rudeness might have been faked for TV — as he criticized everything from contestants’ song choice to wardrobe and even their weight.

While many of us agree American Idol is better without such personal insults, Randy Jackson thinks American Idol has gotten too nice. He has said the music industry is a mean business, and if someone is terrible, it’s better that they know that. Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken said he liked the judges’ criticism, because it allowed him and other artists to grow, and it made for better television because you could see the singers’ improvement over the course of a season.

Theoretically, though, both things are possible, and we’ll have to tune in to see how Carrie Underwood’s judging philosophy contributes to the overall goal of developing music idols while not humiliating anyone who puts themselves out there. Tune in for the American Idol Season 23 premiere at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

We’re mere days away from our first look at Carrie Underwood’s big comeback to American Idol as the show’s first winner to return as a judge. An audition special will air March 2 after the 2025 Academy Awards are handed out, and I’m betting those Oscar winners won’t be the only ones feeling the emotion. Underwood opened up a little about what she experienced, saying the nostalgia hit was real, and fellow Idol judge Lionel Richie said something else hit her pretty hard as well.

When American Idol Season 23 premieres on the 2025 TV schedule, it will be 20 years since Carrie Underwood was named the Season 4 champion. If that’s not enough of a blast from the past, this season's Hollywood Week was filmed at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre — a venue familiar to the new judge, who remarked to TV Insider:

Bo Bice was the Season 4 contestant who came in second to Carrie Underwood, so that’s no small praise for whoever inspires that comparison!

The auditions and Hollywood Week taped in the fall, so Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan have already gotten to see what the former contestant is like as a judge. She may have experience on the other side of the table that they don’t, but Richie said one part of the job hit her as hard as any of them. He said:

Who could blame her? It seems like it might be even harder for Carrie Underwood to turn people away because she knows exactly what the auditioners are feeling. The “Blown Away” singer, however, comes from those early American Idol days when contestants endured the possibly faked-for-TV rudeness of Simon Cowell, so she likely knows that honest feedback is actually what’s best for the artists, even if it is hard for them to hear.

She said as much when breaking down her judging philosophy. She said she’s well aware that she becomes a part of these singers’ stories as soon as they take the stage, no matter where they end up, and that’s not something her or her fellow judges seem to take lightly.

It’s going to be fun to see Carrie Underwood complete that circle, and I’m sure we’ll witness some of those emotional, nostalgic moments with her along the way.

American Idol’s Season 23 Post-Oscars Audition Special is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 2, on ABC, but if the awards run too late for you to wait up, you can stream it the next day with a Hulu subscription. The official start to Carrie Underwood’s reign kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9, on ABC.

When American Idol returns to the 2025 TV schedule, a new and yet familiar face will be amongst the judges. Carrie Underwood will make her debut on the panel on Season 23 — 20 years after standing on that stage as the winner of Season 4. That means it’ll be a reunion of sorts for her and Ryan Seacrest, who’s been the host for all 23 seasons, and there’s a good reason he’s determined to make this a big success for her.

Ryan Seacrest has reportedly taken Carrie Underwood “under his wing,” a source for OK! magazine said, as she prepares for her big full-circle moment on American Idol, and he’s apparently asked her fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to do the same. The insider said:

Ryan Seacrest can clearly see how big of a win it was to nail down one of American Idol’s most successful contestants, and the longer she sticks around, the better. Honestly, there aren’t many bigger names they could have chosen, with Kelly Clarkson or Jennifer Hudson (two former coaches of The Voice) being among the few comparable alumni that immediately come to mind.

Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan know how big a deal it is to have a former winner sitting beside them, as they’ve both expressed that one of the biggest contributions Carrie Underwood brings is having first-hand knowledge of what the artists are experiencing. It makes sense that Ryan Seacrest — and all involved in American Idol’s production — would want to keep her around for as many seasons as possible.

Not only does Carrie Underwood have the experience and success that should inspire the contestants, but it sounds like she’s got what it takes to do the job, too. Katy Perry was hoping her replacement wouldn’t mince their words when giving feedback, and Season 2 runner-up Clay Aiken agreed that the criticism contestants like himself got in earlier seasons of the show was helpful.

The “Before He Cheats” singer is likely to bring a good mix of old and new, as she has said she wants to be honest but constructive with the contestants.

It’s not just Ryan Seacrest and the current judges who have Carrie Underwood’s back. Former panelists Keith Urban, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell have all had glowing things to say about the incoming judge, with the latter downplaying how difficult the job is. Jackson, meanwhile, who was a judge on Underwood’s season along with Cowell and Paula Abdul, remembers the artist as one of his favorite auditions of all time.

It’ll be fun to see Carrie Underwood find her own favorite auditions and hopefully help mold singers to the same kind of success that she has found. American Idol Season 23 kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET Sunday, March 2, on ABC with a post-Oscars audition special before debuting in its regular timeslot at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9. Episodes will be available to stream with a Hulu subscription the next day.

After crowning Abi Carter the winner of American Idol Season 22 and bidding Katy Perry adieu, fans are excited to see another season kick off in March on the 2025 TV schedule. Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood is returning as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie to help shine a spotlight on undiscovered talent. Dozens of contestants will put their lives and jobs on hold for this opportunity, and that begs the question: Do American Idol contestants get paid to appear on the ABC singing competition?

The short answer is yes, contestants who make it to a certain point in the season are paid for their time. There are reportedly other perks along the way but also some expenses. Let’s break it all down.

American Idol Pays Its Top 24 Contestants Per Episode

Most of what is known about how much American Idol artists make on the show comes from the 2011 book American Idol: The Untold Story by Richard Rushfield, who covered the show as an entertainment web editor for the LA Times. Rushfield reports (via Fox Business) that American Idol begins paying its contestants once they reach the Top 24.

However, in order to earn a performance fee, they must first join the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which costs $1,600. After that they’re paid by episode, with the length of the episode determining how much they earn. As of 2016, musicians earned $1,571 for two-hour shows, $1,303 for one-hour shows and $910 for half-hour episodes.

With this source material coming out over a decade ago, it seems likely that these numbers may have changed — especially since the show has moved from Fox to ABC since then — but contestants’ contracts may keep them from divulging such financial details publicly.

Idol Contestants Earn Additional Stipend If They Make It To Top 12

The longer you last on the show, the better the benefits, apparently, as Richard Rushfield also said that once the artists reach the Top 12, they’re given a stipend of $450 per week. That apparently means clothes for many of the singers, and the author wrote:

At least they get to keep the clothes! However, I can see how that wouldn’t be a lot of money if they’re not provided a wardrobe from the show. One thing they are provided, however, is room and board. The Top 12 contestants no longer have to pay for lodging, which seems like it could be a huge expense for the Top 24 up to that point.

How nice the digs are depends on the season. Richard Rushfield points out that on seasons where the living quarters are shown on the air, contestants have stayed in mansions, while otherwise they’re put up in apartments that are “nothing fancy, but it’s not squalor.”

Families Must Pay Their Own Way To Attend Tapings

It sounds like having friends and family attend tapings to support the contestants could prove a bit tricky for those who live far away from Los Angeles. American Idol allegedly does not pay for travel or hotel accommodations for its contestants’ loved ones.

The American Idol Tour Was Pretty Lucrative

Another big perk of making it to the Top 10 or 12 of an American Idol season used to be the spot it earned you on the live tour. The artists reportedly pulled in around $150,000 to travel for the show post-season. However, the final tour ended in 2015 ahead of Fox’s cancellation of the show. The tour was not resumed when ABC revived it in 2018.

How Much Does The American Idol Winner Earn?

Early winners of American Idol like Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard walked away with an impressive $1 million on top of a record deal. The dollar amount has gone down since then, per American Songwriter, which reported in 2024 that Idol winners get a cash prize of $125,000. Upon completion of their first album, the artist will receive another $100,000. The site reports that artists are then given an advance of $300,000 for their second album, which is required to be paid back against future earnings.

In 2019, The Blast reported a different breakdown after seeing Season 17 third-place finisher Madison VanDenburg’s contract. The then-17-year-old’s paperwork said that season’s winner would walk away with $250,000 but would be responsible for many of the costs of producing their album.

The winner (who ended up being Laine Hardy) would sign with Hollywood Records, where they would receive $125,000 in advance of their debut album and another $125,000 upon completion. The winner would also reportedly make $1,000 a week during recording and another $1,000 per master recording turned in, receiving a 15% royalty rate for their first three albums.

The runner-up for that season (Alejandro Aranda) was potentially eligible for $87,500 to start an album and another $87,000 when it was finished, if Hollywood Records chose to sign them too. All three finalists recorded three original tracks while competing on American Idol, which were allegedly allowed to be used however the Top 3 wished.

Getting On Television And Making Connections Is A Valuable Part Of Being On American Idol

While many of the contestants will reportedly be compensated for their appearances on the popular singing competition, no one there (except maybe the finalists) is getting rich from their time on American Idol alone. Artists go on the show for the opportunity for national exposure, and that likely remains the most valuable thing they can get from the competition.

Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood and Fantasia Barrino are a few early-season singers who found their fame on the show, but 22 seasons later, American Idol continues to produce popular musicians. Two alumni were even nominated for awards at the 2025 Grammy Awards in Benson Boone (Season 19) — who made headlines for adjusting himself during his performance as a Best New Artist nominee — and Lucky Daye, who competed under his real name, David Brown, on Season 4.

It’s also a good idea for artists to make connections during their time on the show that could lead to relationships and opportunities afterward. Just one example of that is Season 20 winner Noah Thompson teaming up with runner-up HunterGirl to co-headline a tour following their time on the show in 2022.

Artists often have to sacrifice for the opportunity to join American Idol, and while we don’t have much current information on what they earn, it does appear that the contestants do receive some sort of payment once they reach a specific level of the competition.

Tune in to see who will be making the big bucks when American Idol Season 23 premieres at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It’s mind-blowing that it’s been 20 years since Carrie Underwood first auditioned and won American Idol. Now, the famed country singer will come back to the reality competition series audition room as a new replacement judge for Katy Perry. As Underwood’s “then” and “now” post would have it as we get ready for the 2025 TV premiere, the “Before He Cheats” singer’s got a major glow-up going on, and dang girl!

It’s a real bummer that Katy Perry will be leaving American Idol after six seasons. But when one door closes, another opens with Carrie Underwood taking on those big shoes for season 23. With its March 9th season premiere approaching, the Grammy Award-winner posted on her Instagram a “then” and “now” post that shows off her major glow-up and she's looking radiant:

I love that Carrie Underwood is making her introduction as a judge wearing her audition power color of pink. She also proves she can still rock the wavy hair. At the graceful age of 41, Underwood looks so beautiful with joy and confidence on her face like she’s ready to take on her new American Idol role. Once you look at her “now” picture, it feels incredibly heartwarming to see the best-selling artist return to her singing competition roots and show that she can still be pretty in pink like she did 20 years ago.

I’m getting a lot of nostalgic feels looking at Carrie Underwood’s “then” picture of when she first auditioned for American Idol. At only 21 years old, Underwood was just your average Northeastern State University student who was a flag football captain and quarterback of her Greek Week team. But once she belted out Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” to judges Simon, Paula, and Randy, a star was born. One of the most famous American Idol contestants became a winner of season four singing “Inside Your Heaven,” “Independence Day,” and “Angels Brought Me Here” during the finale.

It’s truly perfect that Carrie Underwood is season 23’s new American Idol. As the chart-topping singer knows what it’s like to be a contestant on the ABC series, she’ll be able to sympathize with contestants feeling a little jittery in the audition room and know star power when she sees it. Idol’s showrunner Megan Wolflick said her reasoning for picking Underwood as a replacement was to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the “Blown Away” singer’s audition and to have an Idol alum join the judges panel for the first time. Based on the American Music Award winner’s judging philosophy of offering criticism blended with kindness, I believe she’s got her new position in the bag.

Based on Carrie Underwood’s “then” and “now” post, she’s had a true glow-up since her American Idol audition 20 years ago. She’s had a musical journey so many fans dream of having from a small-town singer, a platinum recording artist, to now a judge on the very TV show that was the jumpstart to her success. Don’t forget to watch Underwood’s debut as an American Idol judge coming to ABC on March 9th following your Hulu subscription the next day.

Katy Perry served as a judge on American Idol since ABC rebooted the canceled Fox series in 2018. But, after six seasons of bringing her playful personality to the judging panel, a creative two truths and a lie post led to the pop singer revealing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that Season 22 would be her last. Perry has since been replaced by Carrie Underwood. Ahead of Season 23's premiere amid the 2025 TV schedule, the “Teenage Dream” singer talks about being succeeded by Underwood.

The ABC-era American Idol judges have brought a balance of honest critiques mixed in with fun and humorous takes. When it coms to the upcoming Season 23, Carrie Underwood should shake things up alongside current judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie. Katy Perry -- who left the show to focus on her new music and other endeavors -- leaves big shoes to fill. However, as Perry explained to People, she's not all that worried about how Underwood will do:

The “Firework” singer is absolutely right. If you look back on Carrie Underwood’s American Idol audition from Season 4, you can tell she was meant for the show. There's a reason she's still one of the Idol's most famous contestants, who, years ago, was fresh-faced 21-year-old and wowed the judge. She memorably booked her trip to Hollywood once she sang her beautiful rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” which showcased her powerful vocals.

As Katy Perry pointed out, the “Before He Cheats” singer knows how it feels to be a contestant, which would allow her to empathize with any nervous contestants going through the process. I have a feeling Carrie Underwood will be able to recognize star talent in the same way that Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson saw something in her. Perry also said this:

While she expressed her hope that rapper Jelly Roll would replace her, Katy Perry also listed the ideal qualities her replacement should have. She noted that said person should be “fearless,” honest, and “a little polarizing.” I'd say that the "Jesus, Take The Wheel" singer ticks all of those boxes and more.

The veteran pop star isn’t the only one who's given their blessing. Lionel Richie understood the decision to have Carrie Underwood on board, especially given her background on the reality competition series. Richie also mentioned that Underwood is “not someone we have to get used to.” Former judge Keith Urban gave a “heck yes” to Underwood joining, and American Idol veteran Simon Cowell weighed in with positive thoughts as well. When it comes to question of whether Idol stars are happy with Underwood's hiring, it would seem the ayes have it.

With Katy Perry happily passing the judge's torch to Carrie Underwood, I can’t wait to see what she'll bring to the table. With the new judge’s philosophy being centered around the importance of blending kindness with honesty, I have a feeling the long-running series will be in good hands. Don’t miss the award-winning singer’s debut on the judges panel for American Idol’s 23rd season, which premieres on March 9th at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will streamable with Hulu subscription the next day.

The U.S. Presidential Inauguration is next week amid the 2025 TV schedule, and preparations are underway. Recently, it was reported that a major name in the music industry is set to perform at the event. Country singer Carrie Underwood has officially been tapped to perform “America the Beautiful” during the proceedings. Underwood’s decision to appear has been met with backlash from within some circles. The topic was also recently broached on The View, and co-host Whoopi Goldberg explained why she has to “support” Underwood.

After news of Carrie Underwood’s latest gig broke days ago, a number of commenters took to X and chastised the 41-year-old Grammy winner for choosing to take part. Their responses seemed to suggest that they specifically took issue with Underwood taking part in an event centered around U.S. Presidential Elect Donald Trump. Nevertheless, there is a subsection of the songstress’ fandom that did appear enthusiastic over the news.

During The View, co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin opined that the public should move past the era of canceling people for their political leanings and expressed her belief that the “Before He Cheats” singer won’t be hurt by the move in the long run. Griffin’s colleague, Joy Behar, said that she wouldn’t have taken the job had she been in the singer’s position while also saying that by joining the event she’s “normalizing” the soon-to-be second term president. In the YouTube clip, Whoopi Goldberg then offered up the following response:

Politics play into The View in a major way, with the team even having been recently tasked with reading legal notes from Donald Trump's team. What Whoopi Goldberg appears to convey is the notion that a fellow entertainer has the right to partake in an event for whatever reason they have. On that note, she also suggests that she can support one’s decision without actually showing interest.

As mentioned by the Oscar winner, Carrie Underwood has mostly stayed out of politics over the course of her career. She released a statement shared with THR upon agreeing to perform, saying that she was “honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event.” She also expressed her “love” for her country and stated that was “humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

This recent development arrives amid the fan-favorite musical artist’s recent return to TV. Last summer, it was reported that American Idol had found a replacement judge for Katy Perry. That eventually turned out to be Carrie Underwood, and the decision was met with praise from fellow judge Lionel Richie as well as other music industry alums. Underwood’s judging philosophy is to be both “kind” and “constructive” when addressing contestants.

It remains to be seen how the Inauguration will ultimately pan out as well as how people will continue to react to the “Jesus Take the Wheel” singer’s decision to take part. Regardless of that, it seems that while she won’t actually be watching, Whoopi Goldberg will support the artist’s right to perform as she pleases.

Episodes of The View air weekdays at 11 p.m. ET. You can also watch the broadcasts on YouTube, and episodes are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription . Meanwhile, American Idol Season 23, complete with Carrie Underwood, is set to debut on ABC on March 9.

When American Idol returns for Season 23 on the 2025 TV schedule, Carrie Underwood will make her debut as a judge 20 years after she won the fourth season of the show. The contestants who stand in front of her, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, however, will likely have a different experience than Underwood did back in 2005. The judges back then were not afraid to give constructive criticism — with a strong emphasis on criticism. Clay Aiken, the Season 2 runner-up, is actually grateful he experienced the show in that era and explained why he’s glad the judges were tougher back then.

When Clay Aiken competed on American Idol, he faced the infamous trio of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, and he told US Weekly that he feels that their honest feedback helped him to become so successful. Aiken said:

It wasn’t just him, either, but Clay Aiken says if you look back at several of the most famous American Idol contestants, you can see the artists being shaped over the course of the season, starting with the very first winner Kelly Clarkson. Aiken continued:

Clay Aiken, who finished Season 2 in second place behind Ruben Studdard, said he doesn’t see that kind of improvement in the current contestants, and Idol could save a lot of time if they skipped over the “45 to 50 seconds where they’re all going to say, ‘You did a lovely job and you’re a great star.'” Aiken thinks the singers would benefit from being challenged a little.

Simon Cowell was largely considered the meanest of the original American Idol judges, but there’s a chance that rudeness was faked for TV. Randy Jackson, meanwhile, agrees with Clay Aiken and has spoken out about singing competition judges being too nice. Even Katy Perry — who was definitely not always nice to the contestants — had said she hoped whoever followed her wouldn’t be afraid to speak their mind and actually have a point of view.

It sounds like when Carrie Underwood officially replaces Katy Perry, she hopes to bring a good blend of the old and the new. The “Before He Cheats” artist said her judging philosophy is to be “honest and constructive but still kind.” We still have a couple of months before we see what that looks like. American Idol Season 23 will premiere at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 9, on ABC.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding Carrie Underwood’s upcoming return to American Idol as a judge. While we won’t see that premiere date on the 2024 TV schedule, current and former members of the panel have continued to share their thoughts on the Season 4 winner being chosen as Katy Perry’s replacement. Now Kelly Clarkson — another of American Idol’s most famous contestants — has spoken out. After the Season 1 winner’s name was thrown out as a possibility, Clarkson said she wasn’t interested. So how does she feel about the gig going to another champion?

Kelly Clarkson has paid it forward, so to speak, after finding fame on American Idol’s first season back in 2002, as she served as a coach on The Voice for nine seasons from 2018-2023. She therefore knows exactly how beneficial it is to the contestants to have a person with competition experience in that position of power. When asked about Carrie Underwood’s new job on Idol, Clarkson excitedly told E! News:

After Katy Perry became the most recent judge to leave American Idol, Kelly Clarkson’s name was floated by Lionel Richie as a possible replacement, though it’s unknown if ABC went so far as to reach out. Either way, the “Since U Been Gone” singer confirmed she wouldn’t be joining Idol, citing her move to the East Coast and not wanting to leave her kids, which effectively eliminates any job in Los Angeles for the time being.

Luckily for the upcoming American Idol contestants, they’ll reap the benefits of someone with a similar experience, as Carrie Underwood came through the show just a few years after Kelly Clarkson. Thinking of those future hopefuls, the OG winner said:

Carrie Underwood herself talked about what a dream American Idol is for its contestants and her judging philosophy is to be honest but kind. Simon Cowell — who was a judge alongside Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson on Underwood’s season — agreed that honesty is key, calling the Season 4 winner a “good choice” for the show. Jackson also had a sweet reaction to the full-circle moment, recalling Underwood’s audition as one of his all-time favorites.

Keith Urban, another former judge, similarly called the “Blown Away” singer the “perfect” choice, pointing out that she brings a perspective that Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan don’t have. Richie agreed, saying they don’t know what it’s like to be on that stage, and he thinks her return after 20 years is a “great story.”

No premiere date has been announced for American Idol Season 23, but the series typically premieres in February. With so much enthusiasm surrounding Carrie Underwood’s debut, I wouldn’t be surprised if Kelly Clarkson is parked in front of the TV when that day comes.

Can you believe it? It was twenty years ago when Carrie Underwood first auditioned for American Idol in front of original judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson. While you won’t find the ABC singing competition show among 2024 TV premiere dates, Underwood is set to step in as a judge for Season 23 following Katy Perry’s exit. Finally, Simon Cowell has commented on the latest judge pick.

Back in 2004, Simon Cowell lit up a young Carrie Underwood’s dreams by saying she was “good” during her nervous audition before the singer went on to become the Season 4 winner. Here’s what Cowell recently said about Underwood being a new judge on American Idol:

While speaking to E! News, following this week’s America’s Got Talent live show, Simon Cowell had some nice words to say about the American Idol alum as she gets ready to become a judge. He continued with these words when asked about what advice he’d give her:

Simon Cowell of course has a reputation for not mincing his words around hopefuls, and not being afraid to be a meanie on national television. However, when Carrie Underwood recently spoke about taking up the job, she said the following:

It doesn’t sound like Carrie Underwood is necessarily going to take a page out of Simon Cowell’s book based on those comments, but she does want to offer some “honest” and “constructive” advice to those who are hoping to be in her position in the music industry. She’ll be working alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as judges. Richie has already said the new judge “makes a lot of sense,” especially considering her personal history with the show.

Carrie Underwood’s new spot in American Idol will mark the first major change for the competition series since 2018 when ABC rebooted it following FOX cancelling it in 2016. Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan had been the judges of the new American Idol for seven seasons. Perry decided to step away from the series following Season 22’s finale this past spring to focus on her pop career again.

While her fellow judges and fans are sad to see Katy Perry go, Carrie Underwood joining the cast could be a great opportunity for a former contestant to share their perspective. Plus, apparently ABC has been trying to make Underwood’s involvement happen for some time. Currently, the audition window is open for hopefuls. We can’t wait to see what Underwood brings to the series.

American Idol Season 23 won’t be a part of the 2024 TV schedule, which means we’ve still got quite a while before we see Carrie Underwood make her big return as a judge. That also means there’s lots of time to pontificate on the kind of judge the Season 4 champion will be. Her fellow judge Lionel Richie said she’ll be “great” alongside him and Luke Bryan, and now the eight-time Grammy winner herself is speaking out about her judging philosophy. It sounds to me like the next round of hopefuls is in good hands.

Katy Perry exited the singing competition at the end of Season 22, and after much speculation about who her replacement might be, ABC tapped one of American Idol’s most famous contestants in Carrie Underwood. The “Before He Cheats” artist was quite thoughtful about the role she'll play in these budding artists’ careers, and she said in an interview with SiriusXM:

Carrie Underwood recognizes that being on American Idol and having a singing career is a dream for the contestants that take the stage, so while it’s important not to stomp all over those dreams (like the rude Simon Cowell of Idol’s early days), she also owes it to the singers to be honest about where and how far their talent can take them.

It’s really special that the Season 23 competitors will be singing to someone who has been in their shoes and knows the exact emotions they’ll be going through. Carrie Underwood will theoretically know what kind of advice to give to best help them navigate the show.

The “Blown Away” singer’s history with American Idol is, in fact, why Carrie Underwood was chosen to replace Katy Perry. The recently exited judge said her replacement needed to be fearless and not mince their words. We’ll have to see if the former champ lives up to the authenticity Perry was hoping for.

Either way, she’s already got the support of two other ex-American Idol judges. OG judge Randy Jackson sent love to Carrie Underwood as the 20th anniversary of her own audition coincided with her new gig. He recalled that moment as one of his “favorite auditions.” Keith Urban, for his part, said she was “perfect” for the job, and her experience on the Idol stage is an “extraordinary” addition to the series.

No premiere date has been announced for American Idol Season 23, but typically the competition kicks off in February, so we likely still have a few months to wait. But Carrie Underwood’s philosophy on judging and her understanding of the power she wields in these singers’ careers makes me think she’s going to nail it.

In American Idol’s trailblazing 22 years on the air, many of music's biggest names have served as judges on the reality show, regardless of generation and genre. (Nicki Minaj, Steven Tyler, and Paula Abdul, to name a few.) And changes are coming when Season 17 hits the 2024 TV schedule, when for the first time ever, a past Idol winner will take a seat as one of the three main judges. Carrie Underwood replaced Katy Perry for the hit TV show's upcoming season, sparking a past judge and fellow country music hitmaker to share a sweet reaction to the announcement.

Grammy winner Keith Urban was recently on a red carpet for the Academy of Country Music Honors when Entertainment Tonight approached him about the Idol news. The two country music household names are good friends and have collaborated on music in the past, such as their single "The Fighter." As an American Idol alum who judged competitors during Seasons 12-15, the “Blue Ain’t Your Color” singer was expected to have some insight on the judge selection, and his reaction did not disappoint.

Cue the awwwws. It's giving proud dad in a warm and inspirational sense. I think it’s so sweet the former judge hyped up the country music powerhouse, and I 100% agree that she is the right person for the job. A few people were thrown out as suggestions, with current judge Luke Bryan suggesting names such as Miley Cyrus and P!nk. Katy Perry brought up the controversial yet entertaining Jelly Roll as a replacement option.

Ultimately, the show’s producers seemed to be looking for someone with an Idol win on their resume. And the “Dirty Laundry” singer is the perfect fit. Not only did she audition for her season exactly 20 years ago, but she is at a place in her life and career where it makes sense to take this next step.

To be sure, inaugural champion Kelly Clarkson was also tapped for the role. However, the former Voice coach had already stepped away from that singing competition to focus on family and her daytime hosting gig. SO she clearly was not ready to step back into the Idol ring.

So really, the spotlight landed on the “Before He Cheats” songstress to be chosen. She checks all the boxes, including fitting right in with the existing members of the panel, something clearly very important to the trio. Lionel Richie has already welcomed the CMA winner into the ‘Ham Sandwich Squad’, seeming just as excited as Urban about the selection.

As for handling the “Play It Again” country artist, who fills the “tough judge” role originally created by Simon Cowell, the Australian native had some very simple advice for Underwood.

As someone who remembers watching a young Carrie get that now iconic golden ticket on my television screen, it really is a heartwarming full circle moment watching her become a judge. I totally agree that she will bring something completely unique yet relatable to the table. I’m sure it will be quite comforting for the contestants to see her sitting there, knowing she once stood in their shoes.

I can’t wait to see the effect she has on the show, and I think it’s a really exciting decision that will pull in the views when it premieres on ABC in February 2025, with episodes streaming the next day via Hulu subscription.

Carrie Underwood is experiencing a full-circle moment in her career right now, as she is set to return to where it all started — American Idol. This time, however, she won’t be on stage trying to win over Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and the perpetually rude Simon Cowell; she’ll be sitting in one of their spots as the new judge for the upcoming 23rd season. Underwood couldn’t help but reflect on the moment that changed her life two decades ago, posting a throwback photo to honor the 20th anniversary of her American Idol audition, and former judge Jackson had a sweet response.

It was back in Season 4 of American Idol when Carrie Underwood beat out Bo Bice and the rest of the field to launch a music career that has so far seen nine studio albums, 22 No. 1 singles and eight Grammys. Now she seems ready to pay it forward, as she shared on Instagram those 20-year-old pics from her St. Louis, Missouri, audition:

I love this blast from the past so much, and something tells me that sweet, young girl had no idea just how big of a star she was about to become!

The judges, though, seemed to know right away that the country singer with a powerful voice had the potential to win the whole thing after they heard her sing "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. Randy Jackson confirmed as much when he hit the comment section of the above throwback post to say:

What a sweet thing to say! Randy Jackson was apparently pretty impressed with Carrie Underwood back in 2004, but at the time, he played it cool with his feedback (because of course he did, dawg). While he and Simon Cowell both told Underwood she had a great voice and had given a good audition, Jackson wanted her to work on her stage presence, as she did seem a little soft-spoken.

Carrie Underwood seemed to have no problem taking that note, because the years that followed have seen her blowing fans away in sold-out tours around the world. I’m excited to see how her entire journey on and since American Idol will inform the way she critiques the contestants, but I'd guess there are few people as qualified as Underwood to do so.

The “Before He Cheats” singer joins the judging panel as a replacement for Katy Perry, who stepped away at the end of Season 22. Carrie Underwood was not one of the names circulating as a potential new judge — Jelly Roll seemed to be Perry’s pick, while Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus and P!nk also came up — but in the end it was the Season 4 champ who was named the newest member of the so-called “ham sandwich squad” alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.

She may not have been the only former Idol winner to be considered, though. Kelly Clarkson was mentioned at some point, as she served as a coach on The Voice for years after winning the first season of American Idol, but she shot down that rumor, citing her recent move to the East Coast. Season 6 champion Jordin Sparks had also asked to be considered for the gig.

I can’t wait to see Carrie Underwood return to American Idol, but unfortunately we won’t see Season 23 on the 2024 TV schedule. Idol, instead, will return to ABC in spring 2025.

After it was confirmed that Katy Perry was leaving American Idol to focus on her music, the rumor mill began to churn in regard to who could possibly replace her as a judge. Fans and even judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan threw around possible names. And, all the while, producers remained cagey regarding who might be tapped for the job. In a major turn of events, it was ultimately reported that Idol winner Carrie Underwood would join the series. Now, Richie is already welcoming her to the team or "the ham sandwich squad."

Carrie Underwood won American Idol Season 4 in 2005 and has made a few appearances on the series since then. But this will be her first time serving as a regular judge on the singing competition, and the gig was seemingly a long time coming. Lionel Richie, who has been a judge on Idol since the ABC revival premiered in 2018, spoke with E! News, sharing his thoughts on the series' latest addition, and he’s definitely speaking the truth:

The country superstar is already widely loved and, of course, she has plenty of experience with American Idol. More specifically, she also knows what it takes to win or, at the very least, get very far in the competition. While some elements have surely changed since her time on the series, the "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer certainly has nearly 20 years of professional experience to pull from. She is one of the most famous American Idol contestants, and she would know a thing or two about what to say to the aspiring singers when it comes to making their way through the competition, as Lionel Richie opined:

Following Katy Perry's eventful sendoff, the change to the judges' panel may take some time to adjust to. Yet Carrie Underwood is surely capable and should be able to win viewers over quickly. Plus, it will be fun to see her dynamic with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, as she's going to be sandwiched in between them. It’s a prospect that Richie is also looking forward to, and he used the perfect metaphor to describe the new trio:

You gotta love a good food metaphor! But, seriously, It already sounds like the "Hello" singer is as ready as ever to welcome Carrie Underwood back to the American Idol family in this new role. We'll have to wait and see how she ultimately performs in her new position but, given her skills, knowledge and more, I'm confident that she'll be an effective judge and cerebral member of the "ham sandwich squad."

American Idol Season 23 will not be part of the 2024 TV schedule, as it's set to premiere midseason in 2025. But, with auditions starting up soon, it shouldn’t be long until the trio of judges starts posting photos from set to get fans excited. I can already tell it’s going to be a fun season, and Carrie Underwood's hiring just makes me all the more pumped!

I feel like we spent weeks and weeks with no news coming down the American Idol pipeline ahead of its return on the 2024 TV schedule. Last spring, Katy Perry exited, and then there wasn't a whole lot of forward momentum. Until this week, when a rumor mentioned Carrie Underwood might be joining, and then the creative team apparently said “eff it,” and made the full announcement. But why was Carrie Underwood chosen, and how long has this been in the works?

As Idol was wrapping Season 22 of the long-running competition series, Katy Perry was bandying ideas like Jelly Roll out in regards to who could replace her. Lionel Richie actually said a former Idol contestant might be a great fit for the gig, but his vote was for Kelly Clarkson. (The busy host of The Kelly Clarkson Show said no.)

Apparently, the powers that be did think a returning Idol star would be a good fit for the gig, however, and they approached another major name: Carrie Underwood.

Idol’s Showrunner Explains Why Carrie Underwood Is A Good Fit

Not only does Carrie Underwood have longtime ties to the reality series, she’s also the Season 4 winner of American Idol. Showrunner and executive producer Megan Wolflick also noted that it has been exactly 20 years since she stood before Simon Cowell and co. and belted it out during her audition. In the time since, she’s won a slew of CMAs and Grammy awards and she also remains popular thanks to doing the NFL’s popular theme song “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”

But she's still known for becoming a star on the competition series and returning to her roots felt like a great fit. Given the anniversary timing the “stars aligned” for her to come on the show, per what the producer told ET.

Honestly, Idol has produced a lot of real, actual stars over the years, so the singer might not have been the only person who could have fulfilled this role as an alum of the series. Yet, given what the producer is mentioning about the anniversary, the whole thing just seems to fit together like a nice little puzzle.

Though It Sounds Like The Show May Have Known Carrie Was The Right Fit For A While 

Megan Wolflick had been talking about the “exciting search” to find Katy Perry’s replacement, but while she’s cagey about the timeline here, it seems the production team may have known Underwood was going to pan out, or at least was a major prospect, for a while, now. She said during the interview:

Talks can sometimes take a while for a variety of reasons. Maybe a celebrity isn’t convinced a gig like this is a good fit. Maybe the network and the celebrity are trying to make the schedule work or are feeling one another out while leaving other options open. Maybe Carrie Underwood and ABC were haggling over money. We don’t know for sure what happened, but we do know that finally all parties involved felt comfortable enough to officially welcome Ms. Underwood back into the Idol fold after rumors broke.

In particular, I loved the sweet exchange Underwood had with Ryan Seacrest, who is also an OG within the franchise. After he shared a sweet message welcoming her back to the show in a “full-circle moment,” she responded back, writing, that she, like the producers, sees it as a homecoming of sorts.

The fanbase for singing competitions often gears toward the heartland, which is why so many winners of The Voice and Idol have been country singers. So, Underwood’s return should presumably be a great fit for a show that is widely considered one of the best reality series. We'll find out soon enough when the show returns.

Ever since Katy Perry announced she would be leaving her role as American Idol judge in February, there’s been a lot of discussion about who is going to replace her and sit next to the other two judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. According to a new report, Perry’s replacement has allegedly been found and it’s a very popular former winner of the singing competition show. 

Per Deadline, the Season 4 winner of American Idol, Carrie Underwood, will be the replacement. It should be noted that ABC currently has yet to confirm or announce the “Before He Cheats” singer as a new judge. 

Carrie Underwood auditioned for American Idol in 2004, so this year is actually the 20-year anniversary of the singer's viral moment that changed her life forever. She sang Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" for the original judges, and she impressed them enough to head to Hollywood. She reportedly dominated the season by a large margin week to week before winning the title in 2005. 

After that, she released her first album, Some Hearts, which became the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history at the time. Underwood has scored eight Grammy wins over the years out of 16 total nominations, and she's had four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She remains one of the biggest country stars and most successful American Idol names. 

Certainly, Carrie Underwood would be able to identify with the experience of being on American Idol and offer some nostalgia for the original series, while also bringing more country flair to the show– since Bryan is also a country singer himself.

The report also claims that the other names ABC had previously been circling for the third judge seat have been Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Pink and Meghan Trainor. However, Pink specifically commented on the speculation, sharing that she didn’t want the gig because she doesn’t “like hurting people’s feelings.”

Katy Perry has been part of American Idol since Season 16 when ABC revived the show with Bryan and Richie as judges. The trio wrapped their last finale together with May 19’s Season 22 closer just a week after ABC officially renewed the singing competition for a 23rd season. To send Perry off, some of the contestants performed a medley of the singer's biggest hits last season. 

Richie recently opened up about knowing he’s going to “miss this group” of judges following Perry’s exit before saying that he believed the replacement needed to be somebody who “identifies with the young culture.” He also pitched Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift as potential judges he’d like to work with. Katy Perry has said she hopes her replacement is “fearless” and “a little polarizing like myself.” 

While American Idol Season 23 is not currently part of the 2024 TV premiere dates for this fall, it's expected to return next year, and it sounds like Carrie Underwood might be coming back with it. 

From all the winners at America's Got Talent to some of the best singers on The Voice, plenty of great competition shows have introduced us to some incredible talent over the years. However, nothing quite beats one of the most iconic competition shows of all time: American Idol. With more than twenty seasons under its belt, here are the most successful American Idol contestants, from the audition room to the winners. 

Kelly Clarkson 

One of the most successful people in American Idol history is Kelly Clarkson. The winner of the first season of the show, she not only went on to have mega-hits like "Since U Been Gone" and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)," she has also worked in television and has her own talk show called The Kelly Clarkson Show. 

Kelly Clarkson has also gone on several tours where she headlined, including in 2019 for "The Meaning of Life" tour. Clarkson also had a part of the Trolls World Tour cast, and she appeared as a coach on The Voice from 2018-2021 and then returned in 2023. She's certainly has had an impressive career – and I have a feeling we'll only see more of her. 

Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee was the runner-up of Season 5 of American Idol, and she has released five studio albums since. McPhee has also appeared in various movies, such as The Tiger Rising and Bayou Caviar, as well as shows like Smash, The Masked Singer and Lip Sync Battle. She also played Jenna Hunterson in the musical Waitress on Broadway. 

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler finished sixth on the fifth season of American Idol, and she has released four studio albums. She also competed on Dancing with the Stars with Derek Hough, and she hosted her own show called Pickler & Ben. She's been in a few Hallmark movies as well, including Christmas at Graceland. 

Carrie Underwood 

Carrie Underwood was the winner of the fourth season, and she became a major star afterward with hits like "Before He Cheats" and "Jesus, Take the Wheel." She has won several Grammy awards, released many studio albums and appeared on TV shows many times. Her album, Denim & Rhinestones, was released in 2022. 

Something else that is also essential to bring up is that Underwood actually did a live version of The Sound of Music back in 2013, where she played Maria Rainir in the NBC original production. She had a guest role on the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai too, where she played herself.

Caleb Johnson 

Caleb Johnson won the Season 13 of American Idol. He did release a solo album, but he has worked with many bands across the states, and in 2023, released Paradise Found: Bat Out of Hell Reignited with the Neverland Express band. 

Todrick Hall 

Todrick Hall was on the ninth season of American Idol, and he was eliminated during the Top 16 round. After he was sent home, he went on to have a very successful online career on YouTube, and he has amassed a global fan base. He appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, and in 2023, traveled around the United States on his tour called The Velvet Rage. 

Jennifer Hudson 

Jennifer Hudson came in seventh place on American Idol in Season 3, but she arguably has had the most success outside the show. Aside from her releasing music, Hudson also went into acting and won an Academy Award for her role in the film Dreamgirls. She's also won a Grammy, Tony and Emmy, which means she's the only American Idol contestant to have achieved EGOT status. 

She has since appeared in many other movies, including Sing, Cats, The Three Stooges, The Secret Life of Bees, Chi-Raq, and more. She also starred as Aretha Franklin and led the cast of Respect, and she was in the 2022 movie Tell It Like a Woman. Also in 2022, she premiered her own talk show, The Jennifer Hudson Show.

Scotty McCreery

Scotty McCreery won Season 10 of American Idol, and he has released five studio albums so far. He also stepped into writing a bit and co-wrote the Hallmark movie Five More Minutes. 

Fantasia Barrino

Fantasia Barrino won the third season, and she has released seven studio albums since then. Barrino has also made an impact on the stage. Notably, she played Celie in the musical production of The Color Purple on Broadway, a role she was able to reprise for the 2023 The Color Purple musical film.

Haley Reinhart

Haley Reinhart placed third on the tenth season of American Idol, and she has released five studio albums. She's also headlined four tours so far, and she even had a role in the Netflix film We Can Be Heroes, the perfect follow-up to Sharkboy & Lavagirl. 

Phillip Phillips 

Phillip Phillips won the eleventh season of American Idol, has released four studio albums, and has gone on several tours. Most notably, Phillips had the best-selling American Idol song with "Home," per THR, which broke records when it came out. 

Elliott Yamin

Elliot Yamin placed third on the fifth season of American Idol, but he has gone on to release nine studio albums since then. He's also collaborated with several folks in the music industry, including Taylor Hicks, DJ Sanjoy, and more. 

Ruben Studdard

Ruben Studdard won Season 2 of American Idol, and he has since released seven studio albums. Studdard has also appeared in several TV shows, including 8 Simple Rules, All of Us, Lifted, Eve, and more. 

Jordin Sparks 

Jordin Sparks is another major winner from American Idol, taking home the championship in the sixth season. The singer has released four studio albums and has gone on several tours since her time on the famous show. Her biggest songs include major hits like "No Air" and "Battlefield." 

She was also a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, and she had a stint on Broadway where she had roles in both In the Heights and Waitress. 

Danny Gokey

Danny Gokey placed third place on Season 8 of American Idol, and despite not winning, he has released eight studio albums. Most of his music is related to contemporary and Christian genres, and he has won many awards and earned several nominations, including Grammy Awards. 

David Archuleta 

David Archuleta finished second in American Idol during the seventh season. Afterward, he went on to create eight studio albums. He's appeared in several shows as himself, including The Masked Singer, and he has also done a lot of philanthropy. Archuleta has opened up about his time on American Idol too, which was a less-than-pleasant experience. But he did end up gaining a wide fanbase from it. 

David Cook 

David Cook won the seventh season of American Idol, and he has released four studio albums and gone on tour. He was also in a production of Kinky Boots on Broadway. 

Kimberley Locke

Kimberley Locke placed third on Season 2 of American Idol, but she's still released six studio albums. Aside from music, Locke has worked with several charities, including the "Pink for a Cure" campaign, and has her own charity called Camp Heartland.

Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks is the Season 5 winner of American Idol, and he has done a lot in the music industry since his win. While he released two independent albums before his time on the Idol stage, he released two more studio albums after he won. In 2019, he had a starring role as Charlie Anderson in a stage production of Shenandoah. 

Diana DeGarmo

Diana DeGarmo was the runner-up of the third season of American Idol, and since her time on the show, she has released two studio albums. Aside from her time in music, she's also worked a decent amount in philanthropy, and she is an ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Something else that is good to know is that DeGarmo actually ended up marrying another Idol contestant, Ace Young. 

Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert is one of those stars everyone knows. He was the runner-up of the eighth season, but he has gone on to release five studio albums, and he performs with Queen as their frontman. He was also in a TV production of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Along with that, he had a recurring role on the Ryan Murphy-created series Glee – where he arguably sang some of the absolute best covers on the series. "Marry the Night" stays stuck in my head. 

Lauren Alaina 

Lauren Alaina was the runner-up of the tenth season of American Idol, and she has since gone on to release three studio albums and headlined three tours. She's also won several awards in country music and was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars during Season 28. 

Chris Daughtry

Another major star from American Idol is Chris Daughtry, who actually placed fourth during the fifth season. However, Daughtry went on to release eight studio albums and created the band Daughtry, which has won several awards and has gone on many tours since. He also competed in The Masked Singer in 2019, becoming the first season's runner-up. 

William Hung 

William Hung is a particular case here. Hung actually never made it past the audition phase of American Idol during Season 3. However, his rendition of "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin ended up becoming so popular that he gained a lot of international fame. Even in that appearance, he went on to pop up in several television programs, including Saturday Night Live. Aside from his appearances on TV, he also has released two studio albums. 

Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken ended up finishing second place on American Idol during the second season of the show, but he has still released six studio albums. 

However, Aiken is an interesting case because he made a complete career change, went into politics and ran for Congress. But it's not like someone in the entertainment industry hasn't done this before – two pretty big examples are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan, both of whom were in movies before they went into politics. 

Kris Allen

Kris Allen won the eighth season of American Idol, and he has gone on to release six studio albums so far. His most famous song is "Live Like We're Dying," which peaked at number 18 in the United States after it came out in 2009. Allen has also done a lot in philanthropy, working with the United Nations Foundation and Heifer International. 

Mandisa 

Mandisa is another example of someone who finished far behind in American Idol, only placing ninth but has released six studio albums. She is mainly known for her Gospel music, which actually won a Grammy Award back in 2014, so it's clear she's been doing fine on her own even if she didn't place in the top eight. 

Blake Lewis 

Blake Lewis was the runner-up on Season 6 of American Idol, and he has released four studio albums since his time on the show. Lewis is also known for his collaboration with other American Idol contestants and has since become invested in voice work as well. He even had a role on Generator Rex. 

Ace Young 

Ace Young came in seventh place on American Idol, and he has released one studio album since. He moved to Broadway and took over the role of Berger in Hair. He is also the contestant who later married former American Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo. 

Justin Guarini

Justin Guarini was the runner-up of the first season of American Idol, and he has since released two albums. He's appeared in many TV shows and has done a lot of theater work, including parts in shows such as Chicago, Company, Mamma Mia!, In Transit, and in 2023, Once Upon a One More Time on Broadway. 

Crystal Bowersox  

Crystal Bowersox was the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol, and she has released four studio albums so far. She still performs pretty regularly, and she is pretty active on Instagram, so she can stay connected to her fans. 

Constantine Maroulis

Constantine Maroulis placed sixth on the fourth season of American Idol, but still released three studio albums. Aside from that, he starred in the Broadway musical Rock of Ages, a role that earned him a Tony nomination. 

So many contestants from American Idol have gone on to do great things. One thing for sure is that we will have music for decades from these incredible musicians and performers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel the need to sing "Since U Been Gone" at the top of my lungs again. 

Contrary to Sin City’s famous slogan, what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas. Country-pop singer Carrie Underwood likely knows that by now, as she’s been spending a lot of time there with her residency Reflection. It’s even more apparent now, though, because when she does leave the city, she’ll carry with her a permanent reminder of her time there. The “Blown Away” singer recently revealed that she got matching tattoos with her sisters and their 74-year-old mother.

Las Vegas is a breeding ground for impulsive decisions, especially for those who decide to partake in one of its infamous quickie weddings, a la JLo and Ben Affleck. Carrie Underwood’s already married, so that definitely wasn’t in the cards, but she did make a permanent change while spending time in Nevada. She went a more artistic route, debuting some matching ink with her mom and sisters on Instagram: 

The quartet showed off their new tattoos — the same heart with a small loop at the bottom. Carrie Underwood’s mom Carole and sisters Shanna and Stephanie had the design inked on the inside of their wrists, while the Season 4 American Idol winner opted to add the heart on her foot. Underwood said in the caption that it wasn’t her or her sisters’ idea to hit the tattoo parlor but rather the septuagenarian’s, and as the eight-time Grammy winner said, Mom gets what she wants: 

Not all moms would be open to the idea of getting inked, but being able to share it with her daughters must have seemed like the perfect way to commemorate the ladies’ time in Las Vegas.

The singer’s followers seemed to love the body art, and even Jennifer Lopez commented her approval with a heart emoji. American Idol’s official page also left some hearts, along with several of Carrie Underwood’s country music family, including fellow singing competition veteran Colton Swon of The Voice, who proclaimed the family’s move as “freakin awesome.”

This is not the first time the Reese Witherspoon look-alike has gotten matching ink with her “sisters.” Just a few months ago, back in May, she showed off a tattoo of a flower on the inside of her forearm, as her “Sisters … not by blood … but sisters nonetheless,” displayed their own lasting memories of the girls trip on the singer’s Instagram post: 

How special that Carrie Underwood now has tattoos with both her biological and chosen families. The “Before He Cheats” artist kicked off the 2023 leg of Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency in June and will resume the Resorts World Theatre show with dates in September, November and December. Her residency premiered in late 2021, and she played a total of 18 shows there in 2022, while also spending the time touring the country on her Denim & Rhinestones Tour.

Only time will tell whether or not her continued time in Sin City will lead to more ink for the crossover superstar.

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:  

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):

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:

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.

While many fans can probably spot a celebrity from a mile away, there’s always the chance that said celebrity isn’t actually who they think it is. This has certainly been the case for Kelly Clarkson, who’s been in the public eye since she became the first American Idol almost two decades ago. Still, she’s experienced some awkward moments, even once being mistaken for a seat filler at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Now, the talk show host is opening up about being mistaken for fellow Idol alum Carrie Underwood and how she may have done something “illegal” in the process.

Kelly Clarkson recently reflected on her case of mistaken identity during an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. Apparently, a fan approached her and mistakenly credited her for one of Carrie Underwood’s songs. But Clarkson, not wanting to embarrass her, didn’t reveal herself and actually went as far as to sign an autograph as Underwood:

This actually isn’t the first time that another starlet has been mistaken for Carrie Underwood. Reese Witherspoon previously revealed that a fan also believed her to be the country music star. However, like Clarkson, Witherspoon was flattered by the exchanged and even tweeted about it. This would ultimately draw a positive response from Underwood herself.

It’s nice to see that Kelly Clarkson took the high road and didn’t deflate the excitement the fan was feeling in the moment. Though one can’t help but wonder if there are technically some legal ramifications to her signing an autograph in Underwood’s name.

Celebrity mix-ups happen quite often, even to some of the most recognizable faces in all of TV and film. Believe it or not, Star Wars alum Mark Hamill was once mistaken for director Steven Spielberg while attending one of John Williams’ scoring sessions. Despite this, the actor took pleasure in being mistaken for the iconic filmmaker.

There’s no doubt that it can be awkward when a celebrity like Kelly Clarkson is mistaken for someone else, and it can sometimes lead to some blunt feelings from celebrities. But it seems that most stars don’t take too much offense when it occurs, and that’s probably the best way to handle it.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

Reese Witherspoon is one of the most popular and well-known A-listers in Hollywood. She’s certainly recognizable when out in public, but that doesn’t mean she is immune to getting mistaken for other celebrities. In fact, she was recently confused for Carrie Underwood, which seems to have just tickled her pink.

Reese Witherspoon is active on social media and recently shared the story of how an entertainment fan caught her in a parking lot, but mistook her for Carrie Underwood, who is seven years her junior. Then, the Big Little Lies actress and the “The Champion” singer had the cutest celebrity exchange. Take a look.

If you are a fan of either Reese Witherspoon or Carrie Underwood, it might seem like a ridiculous error for a person to make in public. However, there’s a thing people have where they might be able to recognize a famous face but not place it, so it's not really a surprise to hear something of that ilk happened here.

In fact, Noha Hamid was the woman who says she made the mistake and the look-alike issue does seem to have been the culprit. You can see the response she shared walking through exactly what happened as well and as it turns out, the mask Reese was wearing did not help the situation.

While it may be difficult for diehard fans to see how anyone could mistake the two leading ladies in their respective fields, there’s nothing like a heartwarming moment between two celebrities to propel us into a holiday weekend. Reese Witherspoon is generally pretty good for a girl power moment or two in general.

In fact, she’s spent time just during quarantine catching up with some of her celebrity faves, including Laura Dern, who hung out on social media and shared their favorite cocktail recipes. Reese Witherspoon has also been remarkably candid in recent months, as well, sharing times she has been overwhelmed by Hollywood as well as some of the struggles her production company has gone through.

Having said this, there are notable differences between the two celebrities.  Reese Witherspoon is more of a cardio and yoga queen than Carrie Underwood is, as the latter also really likes to hit the weights. She’s also 44, whereas Carrie Underwood is 37. Lastly, while they are both blondes, Carrie Underwood usually makes it a point to wear her hair big and curly. Reese has worn her hair curly before but just as often has a straight bob, although there was at least one time she sported a big ‘ol hairdo.

She’s basically been a rock star who started her own production company and kept her career going after people thought she’d fade out when she turned 40. Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood has expanded the musical career she began during a stint on the competition series American Idol into all kinds of other branding. She even has her own exercise clothing line, Calia now. (Another similarity between Witherspoon and Underwood is that they both have successful fashion lines, though Witherspoon’s favors dresses.) This whole thing makes me wonder thought how many times Reese Witherspoon has been taken for another celebrity and what other celebrities she might have been mistaken for, though.

It’s weird to think about an American Idol reunion given the show is still up and running on ABC. Yet, Kelly Clarkson is doing just that for her new daytime talk show, bringing the original American Idol judges panel featuring Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson back together. Given that reunion, other Idol alum Carrie Underwood was recently asked whether or not she’d do her own American Idol reunion.

Carrie Underwood reflected on how crazy it was to see Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson back together, before revealing there is one way she would make an American Idol return. She said:

We’ve heard of celebrities making pretty crazy dressing room requests and backstage demands before appearances, but honestly, this seems like a pretty reasonable request for Carrie Underwood when she spoke with ET at a Sirius XM event. It’s something Kelly Clarkson may want to take to heart as well if she should have a reunion of sorts in mind!

While Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood didn’t appear on American Idol together, when you think about the seasons and seasons of American Idol’s prominent contestants and winners, it’s likely a few names will jump out. Clarkson. Jennifer Hudson. Chris Daughtry. Adam Lambert. Of course, Carrie Underwood, the country phenom who has sold more albums and made more cash money than any of the other contestants across Fox and ABC’s seasons.

Getting Carrie Underwood to get involved with any sort of American Idol reunion would be a big get. For example, the episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show in question will also feature Justin Guarini, which is a name that really takes me back. But while Justin Guarini is still working in music, he doesn't have quite the fame factor Carrie Underwood does.

Simon Cowell recently talked about taping the big reunion on Kelly Clarkson’s show, noting to Extra:

So, it sounds like Idol reunions are a little bit strange feeing for anyone involved, whether they are being judged or not. Of course, right now Carrie Underwood is in the middle of her Cry Pretty Tour 360, so she doesn't have time to a slew of appearances, although she is planning to host this year’s CMA’s event. It’s also worth noting she’s popped up on American Idol a few times since winning the whole shebang back in 2005 and is clearly still very thankful for her time on the show.

American Idol looks very different these days. The show is heading into Season 18 and airs on ABC rather than Fox. The judges panel is comprised of Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry. The biggest touchstone from the original series is the fact that Ryan Seacrest is still around. Still, despite the changes, some sort of reunion with Carrie Underwood could be pretty sweet.

In the 2018-2019 TV season, the highest-rated and most-watched program in the country was NBC's Sunday Night Football, despite ratings drops in recent years. The NFL's weekly match-ups averaged bigger audiences than Big Bang Theory, NCIS and everything else, meaning the opening containing Carrie Underwood's theme "Game On" has the most heavily watched intro for any TV show out there. But according to musician Heidi Merrill, Underwood is singing a plagiarized track.

According to a lawsuit filed on June 19, Heidi Merrill is going after just about everyone over this perceived slight. Named as defendants were former American Idol champ Carrie Underwood, the NFL, NBCUniversal, Underwood's producer Mark Bright, songwriters Chris DeStefano and Bretty James, Carrie-Okie Records, Warner/Chappell Music and EMI Entertainment. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by Merrill and songwriters Alex Wong, Jeff Cohen and Niclas Lundin.

The claim being made by the plaintiffs is that Heidi Merrill and her songwriters worked to create their "Game On" version back in June of 2016. It was later uploaded to YouTube in March of 2017 as music video. In that same year, it's claimed that Merrill attended a conference in Nashville largely due to Mark Bright's presence, and the suit claims that Bright made comments about frequently receiving pitches from songwriters and artists.

Heidi Merrill was then under the impression that "Game On" would be a smart song choice for Sunday Night Football, seeing as how the two previous songs that Carrie Underwood performed for SNF were also derived from previous tracks. In her early years, she continued using the Faith Hill-sung "Waitin' All Day for Sunday Night," which was spun from Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You." For the 2015-2017 seasons, Underwood sang "Oh Sunday Night," which was itself based on the song "Somethin' Bad" as performed by Underwood and Miranda Lambert.

Whenever Heidi Merrill approached Mark Bright at the aforementioned conference, he allegedly advised Merrill to send the song into his assistant Jennifer Rai. It's alleged that Merrill did email the "Game On" video to Rai on August 16, 2017, along with a note again highlighting its potential as a fitting theme for Underwood and Sunday Night Football.

It's stated that Merrill reached back out to Mark Bright's office on October 30, 2017, after not having heard anything back from them. In that email she allegedly included another song of hers that had promise in terms of serving as an NFL telecast's theme. On that same day, Jennifer Rai allegedly responded to the email with the following: "I’m sorry, we’re going to have to pass." After that, communication from Bright's office is said to have ceased.

Then, going into the 2018-2019 NFL season, the League was hyping up a brand new opening theme for Sunday Night Football, which debuted on September 6, 2018. That song, of course, was Carrie Underwood's own "Game On," which was then used for the rest of the season, with Underwood, Chris DeStefano and Bretty James listed as songwriters. The licensing agreement for the song was made by NBC and Carrie-Okie on August 20, 2018.

The lawsuit claims that the two versions of "Game On" are 'strikingly' similar in ways that go beyond just the title. The tempo and time signature, as well as the rhythmic and melodic contours, are noted to share similarities, as well as the song's titular hook and chord progressions. For those reasons and more, the plaintiffs claim that the group of defendants purposefully copied the song and reaped rewards from it.

What's more, the suit references another legal issue that Carrie Underwood faced in recent years. In 2017, Underwood was hit with a lawsuit claiming her song "Something in the Water" was cribbed from a song that was created in 2012 and later submitted to Mark Bright, who allegedly rejected it.

Take a listen to Heidi Merrill's version of the song below.

And now, for comparison, take a listen to Carrie Underwood's version.

The plaintiffs are seeking financial rewards that match up with the profits that Carrie Underwood and the NFL have made off of "Game On," along with court and legal costs getting handled. It's unclear at this time what the next step will be in getting this case to move forward.

There are a few months left to figure it out, with Sunday Night Football not premiering officially until the fall when the NFL season gets underway after the Summer TV season.

Carrie Underwood is the mother of two young children, Isaiah Fisher (4) and three-month-old Jacob Fisher. As any parent will tell you, it is an enormous responsibility to welcome a child into your life. And while Underwood very recently gave birth to her youngest son, some folks wondered if she might plan to have a third child later down the road. To this, Carrie Underwood admits that she's unsure. While she isn't against the idea of having another baby, she's not certain if that is something in the cards either. Not yet, at the very least. Here is the quote from Carrie Underwood.

This topic came up when Carrie Underwood appeared on Today. The singer was asked about her growing family, and if she had any ambitions of extending it beyond baby number two. Obviously, as a musician, Underwood continues to expand herself in a multitude of different way. But when it came to the possibility of introducing another child into her life, she was left at a bit of a pause.

Parenthood requires a great deal of care, and it's never an easy commitment to make. Nevertheless, Carrie Underwood admits that, while she like to keep herself orderly in terms of balancing her work and personal life, "you can't plan for everything." So, Underwood is not throwing the possibility of expanding her family out the window.

You can check out the video below to hear Carrie Underwood's comments on her family, her future and the still-lingering possibility of having another child someday.

Now that Carrie Underwood's family is a family of four, she definitely has a lot on her hands. That's perhaps putting it mildly. She is currently gearing up for her latest tour, and that will certainly leave her preoccupied. But when it comes time to wrap up the tour, she admits that she isn't against the notion of having another child, though it doesn't sound like it's a done deal either. It seems like time will soon tell whether or not Underwood introduces another child into her constantly busy life.

It should also be noted that Carrie Underwood has talked openly in the past about her three miscarriages, and she has talked about how those difficulties led to a time of great hardship before Jacob was born. That's presumably something that weighs on Underwood's mind as well when possibly making this decision later on down the road. But it sounds like this discussion is one meant for another day.

For the latest news in film, television, pop culture, celebrity culture and a whole lot more, you can always be sure to check back with us right here at CinemaBlend.

A second child is on the way for Carrie Underwood. When Underwood was spilling information on the upcoming Cry Pretty Tour 360 on social media, she revealed that the tour would not be taking place until May, for one very specific reason: she's pregnant. As eager as Underwood is to be reunited with her fans and to spread her music around the world, she needs to focus on bringing her newest little bundle of joy into the world first. That said, even though Underwood is currently cradling child number two inside her stomach right now, she's not going to let that stop her from keeping busy with her music. She promises to keep her fans and followers updated on her tour and music in the months to come. Here's the video of Underwood.

As Carrie Underwood admits in the Instagram video, she's "over the moon" about this announcement, and she can't wait until she can welcome her second child into her family. Underwood is the mother of 3-year-old Isaiah, and she shares that child with her husband, former professional hockey player Mike Fisher. The athlete and the musician have been married since 2010, and while Underwood loves her fans and she hopes to see them all during this upcoming tour, she's got her commitments to her family to attend to first. Motherhood ultimately comes before any music goals.

The upcoming Cry Pretty Tour 360 promotes Carrie Underwood's newest album, entitled Cry Pretty, which is set to be released on September 16th. While normally the musician tries to go on tour closer to the album's release date, that ultimately wasn't an option this time around. That said, there's little doubt that Underwood will attract a crowd when she's ready to embark on the road. In addition to the baby news, this video announcement also provides tour dates for the upcoming nationwide trip. She'll kick off the tour in Greensboro, North Carolina, on May 1st. Carrie will be touring the country and Canada in 55 locations shortly thereafter. Joined by special guests Maddie & Tae and Runaway June, it's expected to be an exciting show.

Thankfully, Carrie Underwood's recent baby news is providing some much-needed relief after a difficult number of months. Around New Year's Day, Carrie Underwood found herself in an accident that resulted in 40-50 stitches to the face in addition to a broken wrist. It has been a difficult journey, which is likely covered in the new studio album, but Carrie Underwood is looking great and she seems to be feeling great too. We're glad the musician is being met with good news lately. Here's hoping she's continued to be met with good news as she embarks on her next adventure into motherhood.

If you want more updates on Carrie Underwood as a mother and a musician, you can be sure to check back here at CinemaBlend. In the meantime, we send our congratulations to Carrie Underwood and her family for this splendid news!

With wishes of a Happy New Year still on everyone's lips, now is the time where many folks reflect on their experience the year prior. 2017 seemed like a tough one for many, and that includes country singer and occasional actress Carrie Underwood. Underwood shared to the public that she had a recent fall at her home, resulting in a broken wrist. But it turns out there's more to the story, as she also apparently seriously injured her face, resulting in a whopping 40-50 stitches. Considering how much time Underwood spends in front of cameras, this was no doubt a terrifying experience for her.

Carrie Underwood shared the newly revealed information with a post to her fan club (via ET). It turns out that her November fall was a bit more serious than she originally claimed, although she must be doing better now that the singer is willing to go public about her recent surgery. Underwood recalled how the experience changed her, both emotionally and physically, saying:

Carrie Underwood has really been battling a private struggle in the past few months. But the "Before He Cheats" singer does seem to have a good attitude about the future, and seems almost comfortable enough to appear on camera. It's not clear where this may occur, but her many fans will be supporting her when it comes.

News of Carrie Underwood's facial injuries will explain her current status on social media platforms like Instagram. Underwood has been posting mostly images of her family recently, as well as throwback photos of herself on the road. Her most recent selfie features Underwood almost completely covered by a scarf, with the exception being her beautiful eyes. Check it out below.

Fingers crossed that Carrie Underwood has a speedy recovery, and that she feels confident enough to step back into the public eye soon. Underwood is known for her big gigs like hosting the Country Music Awards or leading TV musical The Sound of Music Live!, so this hiatus is probably a bit frustrating for her as well. But Underwood has grown and learned, and is now attempting to share a positive message with her many fans. It's reasons like this that she's truly an American Idol.

Country music superstar Carrie Underwood sang her way into the hearts of millions as the fourth winner of American Idol back in 2005. Twelve years later, Underwood remains humble about the talent show milestone that changed her life. On the anniversary of Underwood's big Idol win, the 34-year-old blonde bombshell took to social media to post a throwback photo and express her love and thanks for the place where her career began. Check out her memorable tribute to the win:

It is fun to see Underwood reflecting on that monumental moment when she beat fellow American Idol contestant Bo Bice on Instagram, sharing it with her nearly 6 million followers. Nowadays, Underwood is busy juggling her life as a mom, wife, and touring musician. She has shattered all the records for the earnings of American Idol contestants and some of the judges. She is an activist, model, philanthropist, and spokesperson. Plus, she sometimes dips her toes into acting, like when she played Maria in The Sound of Music Live! on NBC in 2014.

But before the world knew Carrie Underwood as a global megastar, she was a small-town girl from Muskogee, Oklahoma. She always had a powerful voice. In fact, she almost signed with Capitol Records when she was 14. However, by the time Underwood had graduated from high school, she had decided to focus on practical matters for a life in the real world, as opposed to a Hollywood life.

Still, Carrie Underwood loved singing karaoke, so when she was attending Northeastern State University, her friends encouraged her to try out for American Idol. She did, and in the first few rounds, she blew away judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson with renditions of songs by Bonnie Raitt and Heart. At one point, Cowell even predicted Underwood would win the competition and also would become the greatest selling American Idol contestant of all time, and of course, he was correct.

American Idol went off the air in 2015 after 15 seasons, but recently ABC announced it had bought the rights to the show. The network plans to reboot the show in 2018. Katy Perry is going to be one of the judges, and she reportedly will have a huge payday from it. Ryan Seacrest is in talks to take on his former American Idol job, and Simon Cowell also got approached. There were rumors producers wanted Kelly Clarkson to be on the show, but she went to NBC's The Voice instead. Perhaps the producers should reach out to Carrie Underwood to see if and how she could help the show. After all, if this throwback photo is any indication, Underwood is happy to revisit her roots.

When she's not busy voicing the lovable fish Dory for Pixar, Ellen DeGeneres is usually filming her successful daytime variety talk show, now in its 14th season. In that time, she's had a lot of guests come on the show, both first-timers and repeats. Singer Carrie Underwood alone has made 10 appearances on the show and to celebrate, Ellen decided to give her the fright of her life in front of a room full of people - not to mention the millions watching from home. Check it out below.

Oh, that Ellen. The video starts off with the two reminiscing about Underwood's first time as a guest on the show, back when Underwood won American Idol in 2005. DeGeneres had a photograph of the moment and showed everyone how much style has changed since 2005. "You look beautiful and I think I got better," DeGeneres pointed out. But that photo was just the tip of the iceberg for Underwood. A man dressed as Underwood's husband, Nashville Predators pro hockey player Mike Fisher, popped out of a fake table behind the ladies, absolutely scaring the bejesus out of the singer. Underwood hilariously recovers from the shock while DeGeneres sits back, looking amused with herself.

That wasn't even the only embarrassing thing DeGeneres did to Underwood in that episode! As pointed out by E! News, DeGeneres had Seth Rogen as her first guest earlier in the show and together they played a new game, "You Must Say." Rogen got to pick a phrase that Ellen had to somehow work into her interview with Carrie Underwood, who was "sequestered" away and had no idea this was happening. Rogen didn't know Underwood very well but decided that it'd be funny for Ellen to work in "Now I hear you're great at the chicken dance. We have no music, but now's the time to show us," just to see if the singer would do it. Despite being totally confused, Underwood lamely tried to do the dance, mostly from audience peer pressure. The only reason anyone should do the chicken dance.

Fans of Ellen will know that the host loves giving her guests a good scare. Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Eric Stonestreet, and Justin Bieber are just a few who have fallen to her classic pranks. One of her memorable ones is when guest Scarlett Johansson was scared by a surprise visit from fellow Avenger, Chris Evans. You can check out that little gem below

It was a rough episode for Carrie Underwood, but when you're a guest on Ellen, you should know things are gonna hit the fan. Now that Underwood has made 10 appearances on the hit talk show, we can't wait to see what happens when she comes back for number 11.

Those who are eagerly anticipating next week’s live broadcast of The Sound of Music on NBC might want to tune into the Peacock tonight, as the network is set to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the production, which stars Carrie Underwood and Stephen Moyer as Maria and Captain von Trapp respectively. NBC’s already given us numerous looks at the rehearsals for the production, including the one above, which plays special emphasis on the music.

Carrie Underwood can sing. We’ve known that since she climbed to the top of her season of American Idol, but since True Blood doesn’t often include musical numbers, our awareness of Stephen Moyer’s musical abilities may not be as vast, but that’s about to change. The above promo for The Sound of Music Live! shows Moyer singing as Captain von Trapp. From the snippets we hear of him singing “Edelweiss,” it seems like we’re in for a real treat, as Moyer’s seriously holding his own next to Underwood. So Moyer can sing, but can Underwood pull off the acting side of her role?

Given that this is a live broadcast of the original musical, I think it’s fair to look at The Sound of Music Live as a theatrical production more than it is a remake of feature adaptation of the original stage musical. With that in mind, Moyer and Audra McDonald seem particularly well cast for their roles, considering they both have backgrounds in theater. Underwood, however, is a singer. A pretty extraordinary singer with a massive fan base to be sure, but a singer nonetheless with very limited acting experience, which is why I’m skeptical about this broadcast, given how much the production will likely hinge on Underwood’s performance. In terms of the music, I’m anticipating greatness, but in terms of the story and the chemistry between Underwood and Moyer, I’m wary for now.

But I want to give Underwood the benefit of the doubt. And I certainly wouldn’t go sending her “hate tweets” ahead of the broadcast, which is what some people have apparently been doing. People quotes Underwood as admitting that people have tweeted her things like “You’re not Julie Andrews!” She appears to be aware of that fact, and I’m willing to bet she knows she has some high standards to meet with this role. It’s with that in mind that I’m hopeful she’ll exceed expectations with her performance. And it’d be great if The Sound of Music Live is a hit, especially if it means NBC will be producing more of these live musical productions around the holiday season in years to come.

The Sound of Music Live airs Thursday, December 5 on NBC. And tune in tonight (Wednesday, November 27) for The Making of the Sound of Music Live at 8:00 p.m. on NBC!

NBC’s broadcast of The Sound of Music Live! is certainly an ambitious endeavor on the part of the network and all parties involved in putting it together, but when taking the cast into account, not to mention the popularity of the 1965 film based on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s stage musical, I’m thinking there’s a good chance the viewers will turn up. Possibly in droves. While NBC obviously can’t offer us a look at the finished product, as that won’t be ready until Thursday, December 5 when the broadcast airs, the network has been sharing some great behind-the-scenes looks at the rehearsals for the production, which offer us an earful of the soundtrack and a glimpse at some of the sets, which are apparently set up in a NASA hanger.

“We’re not trying to remake the movie,” actor Laura Benanti says. “Nobody can remake the movie.” This is true and not true. We can say no one can remake it, but let's face it, Hollywood wouldn’t be above trying to remake the classic film, which starred Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews. If they can come up with a sequel to It’s A Wonderful Life, anything is possible (and apparently nothing is off limits). I’ve expressed some skepticism about how this production will turn out, and as a fan of the movie, I’m still approaching The Sound of Music Live! tentatively, keeping expectations low when it comes to hope that this event will manage to capture my heart the way the film did, particularly as it relates to the love story between the young governess Maria (Carrie Underwood) and the stern Captain von Trapp (Stephen Moyer).

On the bright side, everything we’ve heard from the music sounds great, including Moyer’s voice. Why hasn’t Bill Compton been singing all this time? There’s some major talent there. And obviously, Underwood can sing, so there’s a good chance the music will be the highlight of this broadcast. Billboard reports that Sony Masterworks will be releasing the soundtrack two days ahead of the live broadcast. If you’re scratching your head wondering how that will work, the album, which will be available for purchase December 3, will include studio recordings of all the musical numbers set to be performed by the cast during the live broadcast.

Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, The Sound of Music Live! airs Thursday, December 5 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC.

In related news, it looks like NBC may poised to win the holiday season among the major networks. Not only do they have The Sound of Music Live! lined up, but they also have The Sing Off Season 4 scheduled to debut December 9. And then there’s the annual broadcast(s) of It’s A Wonderful Life, which are set for December 14 and December 24.

I’m more of a folk music lover than a person who typically digs full-blown, big hair country, but I’m the first to admit that there’s something irresistible about Carrie Underwood. Apparently, this still holds up even when she goofily trips in five-inch heels and lands on her rear in front of thousands of people. Underwood was performing in Corpus Christi, Texas when she tripped in her shoes, hurting her foot in the process. You can check the fall out in all its glory, courtesy of Instagram, below.

The social networking world was abuzz with pictures and videos related to the event in the time after it happened Thursday evening. Most celebrities who suffer something embarrassing try to avoid the incident after it happens. Those celebrities are obviously not the 30-year-old country singer, who took the whole thing in stride and spent plenty of time responding to fans and even calling herself a klutz regarding the incident.

Calling herself a klutz might seem a little harsh, but the singer did manage to land herself in a boot due to the incident. She shared the news that her ankle isn’t broken after the big fall, along with a picture of her “new footwear.”

It looks more than a little unpleasant, but the singer is expected to continue on her regular touring schedule for her most recent album Blown Away, as if nothing happened. The singer has certainly had more successful performances in the past, but there’s something to be said about not letting an injury keep her off the stage. The singer will be back on tour tonight with a stop in Hidalgo, Texas. I’m guessing she may opt to avoid pairing long t-shirts with five-inch heels this time around, though.

The Rolling Stones are on the road and midway through the band’s “50 And Counting” Tour, which is celebrating the 50 years the veteran band members have spent onstage and in the studio together. That’s a pretty special anniversary that equates to a pretty expensive tour, but those who were able to shell out a pretty penny for this weekend’s Toronto tour date were privy to a pretty big surprise. Carrie Underwood hopped onstage to perform with the Rolling Stones as the Toronto Air Canada Centre gig’s special guest.

You can catch Underwood performing "It's Only Rock n' Roll (But I Like It)," in the video above, and while Jagger and Underwood’s performance styles and vocals don’t totally mesh, the two both seem to be having a lot of fun onstage. Underwood was actually so stoked about the performance that she broke the new via Twitter earlier in the day.

As noted by the Huffington Post, Underwood isn’t the first famous name to join the band on its “50 and Counting” tour, although she is the only American Idol winner to take the stage with the Stones. Additionally, Dave Grohl, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, and more have joined the gang on tour over the last month. The Rolling Stones has several more tour dates scheduled into June, with the group's next stop planned for Chicago, IL.

Carrie Underwood is a busy lady. Between releasing the hit album Blown Away in 2012 and traveling around the world on a subsequent tour supporting the album, the 30-year-old singer and American Idol winner has a lot going on. However, she says she still tries to cut loose and include a little fun in her life.

Underwood will cut loose occasionally, at least with her core group of friends, which includes her 32-year-old hubby, Mike Fischer, who plays hockey for the Nashville Predators. Underwood recently found some time to sit down with People to talk about what she does in her spare time—which includes dance parties.

Additionally, while the singer has a reputation for being quite the golden girl with the angelic set of pipes, sometimes she would just prefer to sing songs that discuss having a good time—much like what she prefers to do in her spare time.

It’s not as if the singer doesn’t have plenty of fun choices in her repertoire of songs. She may have the more critically acclaimed fodder like “Blown Away” to back her up, but both “Cowboy Casanova” and “Good Girl” are pretty fun songs to jam out to in the car. Here’s to hoping we get plenty more hits from the singer in the years to come.

In case you were concerned about an impending battle of the blondes in the country world, we can now at least confirm that if there is a feud, it’s very one-sided. Rumors have abounded recently that Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift don’t get along at all, but on Monday, Underwood completely refuted those whispers.

Underwood joined CBS This Morning to talk about her epic Grammy dress, which involved some silky material and a projector cycling through stunning images. Of course, last night’s Grammy Awards also offered a killer performance from none other than Ms. Swift, so it was pretty easy to jump from one topic to another. According to the NY Daily News, she has no beef with the younger singer, noting there is no feud between the two women that she “know[s] of at least.”

Which could mean the feelings of dislike are one-sided. In fact, this is probably the case, since Swift has shown a tendency to be overly emotional in the past and hating on one of her competition doesn’t seem particularly out of the ordinary. Besides, the feud rumors only came about after Swift was rumored to complain about Underwood’s rudeness. Now that Underwood’s sweet dress and accomplished performance crushed Swift’s opening number, I can only imagine the 22-year-old country singer will be more annoyed. So, while the feud may still be on, at least we know one blonde bombshell won’t be fueling the fire.

We'll keep you updated if these two ever reach the hair-pulling point.

Carrie Underwood isn’t afraid to let her Oklahoma (hair) roots show. The “Good Girl” singer works with a stylist and knows her fashion choices in the past decade have certainly grown up, but she still occasionally likes to rock out with some wild and poofy big hairdos.

The singer grew up in a place where big hair and southern style was the norm. As she grew up, her look naturally went in the direction dominated by the bold and sparkly southern women in her life. In the time since she landed a spot in the American Idol cast, she has certainly refined her look and style; however, the singer recently told People she still hasn’t managed to drop the big hair look, yet.

Underwood also has a lot of empathy for people who get poked at for their outfit or hair choices. She works with a stylist to maintain her polished look, but with that penchant for big hair, she knows what it means to go overboard, and she understands the hurt that critics can dole out.

It seems to be working. The petite blonde looks great in her Blown Away promotional fodder, and recent music videos. She looks like she’s ready to conquer the world—and make it a place where big hair is welcomed.

Just because people are Christians doesn’t necessarily mean they feel the same way about social issues. That’s the message to take away from a new interview Carrie Underwood has given in which the conservative singer comes out in support of gay marriage. The former American Idol winner has long been praised for her value system and good-natured charm by a certain segment of the population, but when it comes to homosexuality, she can’t understand why people aren’t allowed to love who they love in peace.

Speaking to The Independent, Underwood said her firm belief in God is actually what compels her to try and love everyone despite their differences.

Underwood was raised in a Baptist church, but she and her hockey-playing husband Mike Fisher are now members of a non-denominational church. Given this interview was conducted overseas, it’s unclear whether the former American Idol winner will be as overt about her opinions here in the States, but knowing her, I wouldn’t expect any backtracking.

The general public might not vote based on the recommendation of a celebrity, but something tells me the GLBT community is more than happy to have Underwood’s support.

Taylor Swift might be flaunting a brand new hairdo, replete with thick bangs, but another country-pop songstress has Swift beat with a new, even more toned look. Carrie Underwood has an album coming out in May, and she has blown Pop Blend away with the image on the cover.

Underwood’s cover for her fourth album Blown Away features a visually appealing shot of a stormy field where our starlet has been caught by what seems to be a gust of wind, but what I’m 99% sure is actually a fan. Either way, her soft, airy dress has caught at the slit, giving fans a peekaboo at a pair of tan and super fit looking legs. Not bad for a 28 year-old, although I don’t get what a pair of heels is doing on some rough terrain. That’s real fantasy folks.

According to Us Weekly, the “Cowboy Casanova” singer does circuit training at the gym each week, runs in her spare time, and also works from home with balance and resistance materials. Honestly, while it is awesome she goes to so much trouble, I’m not really surprised Underwood works to keep her body in such good shape. After all, she is married to Predators player Mike Fisher, and hockey players generally have less than 10% body fat. You can’t live with that and not feel like crap if you aren’t super fit, too.

If you’re a contestant on American Idol and you make it to the finals, then you can expect to receive Carrie Underwood’s phone number. What would you do with it? Well, you could call her up to get advice on the music industry, ask her what her favorite movie is, or even ask her opinion on foreign policies. Nobody is calling her though.

E! Online broke the news today that she gave Idol winner Scotty McCreery and fellow finalist Lauren Alaina her phone number, but they haven’t called her yet. Here’s what Underwood has to say about it:

Maybe the Idol contestants are too busy enjoying their fame to talk to you? And this isn't her first time swapping numbers with a final contestant either, she gave David Cook her number, but it took him a while to call her back. She says: “I think David Cook is the only one I've managed to become friends with and we swap stories and talk about stuff, but nobody ever calls me. So maybe they will.”