The American Idol group chats can now rest easy, as we finally know who will fill Katy Perry’s seat. Carrie Underwood, the best-selling winner in the show’s 22-year history, will join Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on the judging panel for season 23. Let’s take a look back at the moment in 2005 when viewers witnessed the birth of a global superstar.
Videos by American Songwriter
See Simon Cowell’s Prescient Words To Carrie Underwood
Back in 2005, Carrie Underwood set out from her parents’ farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma and boarded a plane for the first time. The then 21-year-old was headed to St. Louis with big dreams. “I wanna go to Hollywood really bad,” she said during her audition reel.
Sporting a pink off-the-shoulder top and a fresh perm, Underwood proceeded to belt Bonnie Raitt’s 1991 hit “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” The performance, while understated by today’s standards, earned her a resounding “yes” from judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.
“I’m surprised that we haven’t found a good country singer in this competition yet,” Cowell said. “I think you’re very good. I think you should stay good at what you do, as well.”
[RELATED: Carrie Underwood Breaks Silence on Her Return to ‘American Idol’ in Place of Katy Perry]
Jackson praised Underwood’s “excellent” vocals, but urged her to work more on conveying emotion and stage presence. It seems safe to say the “Before He Cheats” singer understood that assignment.
“Even If I Go Far Away, This Is My Home”
On May 25, 2005, American Idol viewers crowned Carrie Underwood the season 4 winner over Southern rocker Bo Bice. Now, the “Cowboy Casanova” singer is returning to her roots 20 years, eight GRAMMYS and 85 million record sales later.
As Underwood said during her 2005 audition reel, “Even if I go far away, this is my home.”
Viewers will surely miss the chemistry between Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie. However, there is something magical about seeing arguably the show’s greatest success story get her full-circle moment.
“You guys couldn’t have picked better than this,” an Instagram user commented on American Idol‘s announcement post Thursday (Aug 1.) “Carrie is one of the reasons American Idol became an iconic show.”
Featured image by 20thC.Fox/Everett/Shutterstock
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.