On this day in 2005, Carrie Underwood kickstarted her path to becoming a country music icon when she won American Idol. Reflecting on her victory 17 years later, Underwood shared a photo of a page from her journal entry that day. She wrote in her caption on Instagram on Wednesday (May 25):
“Today is the 17 year anniversary of my [American Idol] win! Where does the time go? Please enjoy a page from the journal of a 22-year-old farm girl who just had the most incredible night! I still feel the excitement through the pages! Happy anniversary to me and a forever ‘thank you’ to all who voted!”
Underwood’s journal entry recalled the final moment of the show (which included getting the keys to a 2005 Mustang: “How cool is that?!”), when host Ryan Seacrest held the gold card in his hand that declared the winner: “I took one more look at the amazing crowd and let it sink in for a few seconds. Ryan said something like ‘and your 2005 American Idol is…’ My heart beat fast and I closed my eyes. CARRIE UNDERWOOD!!! The crowd went wild. I immediately started crying. It was a beautiful moment. All the other contestants were sent out to hug me. I was crying the whole time. Then I was asked to sing. I blubbered through ‘Inside Your Heaven.’”
“Inside Your Heaven” was Underwood’s first single, and one of 14 tracks to appear on her debut album, Some Hearts, later that year. The collection also included some of the biggest songs of her career, including “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats.” Underwood has gone on to record several other fan-favorite albums — Carnival Ride, Blown Away, Play On, Storyteller and Cry Pretty — as well as her holiday album and gospel album, among other projects. She’s less than a month away from releasing her new highly-anticipated project, Denim & Rhinestones, a 12-track album that’s set to release on June 10. So far, she’s released four songs: “Ghost Story,” “Denim & Rhinestones,” “Crazy Angels” and “She Don’t Know.” Underwood recently announced plans for her upcoming tour, bringing along “Freedom Was A Highway” singer Jimmie Allen. See Underwood’s 2005 journal entry here: