Carrie Underwood is returning to where it all began—American Idol! And this time, she’s trading in her mic for a shiny judge’s gavel (okay, maybe not a gavel, but I like to think she’ll carry a sparkly one anyway). Yes, the country queen herself, Carrie Underwood, will be the first-ever former contestant to slide into a full-time judge’s seat on the show that launched her to stardom. Talk about a full-circle moment!
The 41-year-old singer—who won the fourth season of American Idol back when we were all still using flip phones and “texting” meant pressing the number 7 four times to get an “S”—dropped this juicy nugget of info at SiriusXM’s Music Row Happy Hour. (SiriusXM, by the way, where the music is happy, but the drinks are probably happier). This all went down at Resorts World in Las Vegas, which, fun fact, is also where Carrie currently resides… for her residency, Reflection. Yeah, Carrie’s got a Vegas gig, but instead of card tricks, she’s performing vocal acrobatics.
When asked about her upcoming gig as a judge, Carrie gave us a little preview of her judging style. And honestly? It sounds like she’s going for the Swiss Army knife of judges—versatile, sharp, and capable of opening cans of beans in a pinch. “I like to think that I am versatile,” Carrie said, probably while wearing one of her dazzling sequin outfits. “Hopefully, when I listen to people audition, I can have any lens I need to put on.”
So, basically, Carrie Underwood is going to be the Mary Poppins of American Idol judges—whipping out different lenses from her magical, bottomless bag, all while remaining cool, collected, and perfectly coiffed.
But don’t worry, Carrie’s not here to crush dreams like a boot stomping on a bug. Nope, she’s aiming for that elusive sweet spot between being brutally honest and as kind as a compliment sandwich. “I think I can be honest and constructive but still kind,” she explained, probably while imagining how many people’s souls she’ll be responsible for either uplifting or gently squashing.
And let’s face it, she’s right. One minute she could be praising someone’s vocal runs like they’re the second coming of Adele, and the next minute, kindly suggesting they look into, I don’t know, professional yodeling instead. Because hey, American Idol is all about dreams, and Carrie Underwood is about to become a professional dream interpreter with a rhinestone-covered microphone.
We don’t know about you, but we’re ready for Carrie to bring some sparkle and grace to the judging panel! Buckle up, contestants—Carrie’s coming, and she’s bringing the kindness with a side of sass!
