American Idol has shared the first episode of Idol to Icon, a new webseries starring the show’s judge and former winner Carrie Underwood. In the video, Underwood reacts to her first audition on the show, which aired 20 years ago.
Carrie Underwood Reacts to Her American Idol Audition
In the new clip, Underwood reflects on growing up on her family’s farm in Oklahoma. She recalls learning about American Idol auditions in St. Louis, and how her mom offered to drive her there to try out for the show.
Underwood can be seen reacting to her audition for the judges in Season 4 of the show, in which she performed “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt. She recalls feeling uncertain about judge Simon Cowell cutting her off, even though he told her it was “very good.”
Judge Randy Jackson advised her to work on her “emotion and the stage presence,” prompting present-day Underwood to remark that she’s “still working.” She also says that Cowell “deserves a lot of credit” for embracing her performance even though he wasn’t a fan of country music.
“I have no idea how that 21-year-old Carrie was able to muster up enough guts to walk into a room and audition in front of Simon, Paula, and Randy, and the world,” Underwood shares. “Everybody watching on the other side of the camera, when you think about that it’s just absolutely mind-boggling.”
In the new video, Underwood is even able to remember her number from the American Idol auditions (14887), saying it’s “tattooed in my brain.” She goes on to joke that she should actually get the number tattooed on her body.
The singer also reads aloud from a journal that she kept from her time on the show, in which she wrote, “I just have to keep in mind that it will all be worth it, and the life I have started will be great. Most importantly, I have to remember that this has all been my choice, and it’s something I’ve wanted ever since I was a little girl.”
Underwood went on to write that she was “just trying to live in the moment and appreciate it all.” In the present, the new judge tears up as she reflects on where it all began, telling her younger self, “You’re gonna do fine, kid. You’re gonna be OK. Just hold on.”
American Idol aired a sneak preview of Season 23 this past Sunday night after the Oscars ceremony. The official season premiere will air March 9 on ABC.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
