Carrie Underwood‘s American Idol journey has come full circle.
Fans first met Underwood when she auditioned for season 4 of the singing competition. Following her 2005 victory, Underwood went on to become one of the biggest names in the country music world, and she returned to Idol several times throughout the years.
In 2024, Underwood was offered a more permanent position, replacing Katy Perry as a judge alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie for season 23. “I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” she said in an announcement video at the time. “I’m proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since.”
Underwood later shed light on her style of constructive criticism, revealing in a radio interview that she hoped to “be honest” during the audition process “but still kind” to those hoping to earn their big breaks. “You’re part of somebody’s story from that moment on,” she explained.
When season 23 premiered, Underwood gushed that competing on Idol “changed” her life. “Now, I have the privilege of helping a new generation of artists change theirs,” she added.
Many members of that new generation made their love for Underwood known before heading into the audition room — and some even tried their hand at singing the country star’s biggest hits.
Scroll below to see every time one of Underwood’s songs was performed on American Idol season 23:
Sophia Humbert
A longtime Underwood fan, the Arizona native took a risk by auditioning with “Before He Cheats” on the piano. Underwood hinted that the performance needed more “rage in there somewhere,” so the judges asked Humbert to sing again — this time while smashing a pickup truck with a baseball bat.
Breanna Nix
Nix captivated the judges with her rendition of Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” Her audition also served as a sweet lullaby for her son, Emerson, who fell asleep in Underwood’s arms.
Landry Champlin
In a video package before her audition, Champlin revealed that she was “always” asked to perform Underwood’s music as a kid when she sang at the Grapevine Opry in Texas. She continued the streak on Idol, singing the 2012 hit “Good Girl.”
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