Carrie Underwood Considered Quitting ‘American Idol’ After Her Top 10 Performance

Carrie Underwood emerged as the winner of “American Idol” season 4, but recalled having a moment of doubt after her top 10 performance. The country star shared a diary entry from her time on “Idol,” in which she wondered if it would be easier just to quit the competition.

Carrie Underwood Had a Different Career Path in Mind if She Didn’t Win ‘Idol’

In the May 1 “Idol to Icon” video, Underwood reflected on performing Martina McBride’s “Independence Day” for the “American Idol” top 10 episode.

“I don’t think I let the ‘win’ scenario really enter my brain until, like, top 3 or 4,” she said.

Underwood noted, “For me, at the time, there were certain levels you wanted to get to, because different things would happen.”

The singer shared that she was thinking of how the exposure could help her with a career if she didn’t win. “I was a broadcast journalism major,” she explained. “I thought, ‘Okay, with every step, it’s gonna be a little bit easier for me to get a job when I get sent home.’ I was very practical in my thinking.”

Underwood remarked, “Top 10 was a little more of a relaxing stage to be in, because it’s like ‘Okay, no matter what happens, like, this is top 10. We’re here, and nobody can take that away.'”

She added, “I don’t really know what my plans were after college … I was hoping to get into either being on your local news, or doing something in that realm, or advertising, something like that.”

Carrie Underwood Almost Quit ‘Idol’

The singer also read the journal entry she wrote after her top 10 performance.

“I don’t know, sometimes I think it would just be easier if I go home,” Underwood wrote at the time. “But I know I would regret it forever. I just have to remember that I know I’ve got this. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t good. I can so do this. And who cares if the judges don’t like it? I know I do … lol.”

Underwood’s pep talk in her journal clearly helped her move forward and, ultimately win, despite the moment of self-doubt.

“I love how I started out, like, ‘I don’t know, I just think it’d be easier if I go home’ and then I just gradually start talking myself up. ‘I would regret it.’ ‘I’ve got this.’ ‘I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t good!’ ‘I can so do this!'” she said. “It gets a little more and more ramped up.”