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Carrie Underwood confirmed her return to American Idol on Thursday morning (August 1) with a nostalgic video shared on Instagram.
The eight-time Grammy Award winner reminisced on her audition for the smash-hit competition show nearly 20 years ago (which some commenters said made them feel “so emotional,” and remembered voting for the now globally-beloved artist in 2005). The Oklahoma-born singer remembered “being at home in our little house in Checotah, and seeing on TV that there were auditions in St. Louis. My mom said, ‘if you wanna go, I’ll drive you.’
“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” Underwood said, reflecting on her audition and some of her most memorable performances on the show, including the moment longtime host Ryan Seacrest revealed her as the winner of the show’s fourth season in 2005. “I’m proud of everything I was able to accomplish on the show, and I’m so proud of everything that I’ve accomplished since.”
Since her American Idol victory, Underwood has gone on to sell 85 million records worldwide. She’s tallied 28 No. 1 singles, won eight Grammy Awards, 17 American Music Awards, 10 People’s Choice Awards, seven CMA Awards, become the only female artist to win ACM Entertainer of the Year three times, become the most-awarded artist at the CMT Music Awards and much more. Underwood has released several full-length country albums throughout her career, beginning with Some Hearts and spanning through Denim & Rhinestones, which released in 2022 with a deluxe edition that followed in 2023. She’s also debuted a gospel album and a collection of Christmas music.
Underwood will return to Idol in place of pop artist Katy Perry, who confirmed her departure earlier this year. Perry has served as a judge for several seasons alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Reports emerged Wednesday (July 31) that Underwood was expected to return to the show as a judge, following previous seasons serving as a mentor or taking the stage as a performer. Underwood will appear on American Idol Season 8 in spring 2025.