The popular singing TV competition series American Idol welcomes back one of its very own as the new judge for its 23rd season, and it’s none other than Season 4 winner and now multi-Grammy-winning country singer Carrie Underwood. ABC announced on August 1 that she will replace Katy Perry on the judging panel and join fellow country singer Luke Bryan and record producer Lionel Richie. Perry, who was on the show since 2018, revealed last February that she would depart after Season 22.
The announcement came with a special video showing Underwood’s Idol journey from being a young girl from Checotah, Oklahoma, with a dream to becoming its newest judge. The clip opens with her “going to Hollywood” interview, followed by a montage of her auditioning, earning her ticket to perform on the Idol stage, singing, and finally, host Ryan Seacrest calling her the winner.
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Underwood joined the show in 2004 and stood against Bo Bice in the finals, beating him with her rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Every year, she celebrates her American Idol anniversaries. Last May, she shared a throwback photo of her on Instagram when she got her golden ticket.
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Rolling in the background is Underwood reflecting on that life-changing moment, saying, “I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show. I’m proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show and I’m so proud of everything that I’ve accomplished since.”
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This isn’t her first rodeo on the show. She previously made a guest appearance as a mentor and also performed on the 2019 finale. But she is the first alum ever to become a judge, though former “Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino and “Idol” alum Jordin Sparks were also reportedly contenders for the spot. “Made You Look” singer Meghan Trainor was also in the running.
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The new season will air in Spring 2025 and will be available on ABC and Hulu. Auditions for the upcoming season will start in Alabama on August 12 and will end on September 17. You can sign up for a live virtual audition with a producer here.
While we wait, let’s all watch Carrie Underwood’s special announcement video as the new judge of American Idol in the video below.
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