Carrie Underwood got some solid on-the-job training as the new judge on “American Idol.” Although she has first-hand experience with winning the singing competition, she learned something new from fellow judge Luke Bryan.
Carrie Underwood Learned a Trick for Judging ‘American Idol’ Auditions
Underwood is on the other side of the table now as a judge on “American Idol” and, although she knows the show well, she was unfamiliar with some aspects of the role.
During a March 5 interview with “Good Morning America,” Underwood, Bryan, and Lionel Richie discussed season 23 of “American Idol.”
Bryan shared how Underwood learned one valuable tip when hopefuls are auditioning. “Early in the tapings, Carrie didn’t know that you could start telling the contestants what to sing,” he said.
The singer continued, “I was like, ‘Sing ‘Happy Birthday,’ sing this,’ and Carrie’s like, ‘We can do that?’ So the fun part about that is when you really see something magical in a kid and the other two judges may not, but you can really take ownership of this one particular contestant.”
He noted, “Lionel and I have done that in years past, so it’s really fun when you can feel a connection with a kid and start really kind of cheering them on and doing things in your mind that you think will help them navigate the thing.”
Bryan added, “So it’s been fun watching her learn stuff like that and we’re just having a blast with the talent. It’s really awesome this year.”
It’s been 20 years since Underwood was crowned an “American Idol” winner.
“It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s really cool to be on the other side of things,” she explained. “And hopefully we can all impart some knowledge and help some people make their dreams come true. And to get to play music and sing is wonderful, and we get to help somebody or many other people, hopefully, achieve that. It’s really amazing.”
A Lot Has Changed Since Carrie Underwood Was on ‘American Idol’
In a February 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Underwood shared how her experience 20 years ago was much different than “Idol” now.
“It was a different time in the show — in the world in general — and there was a decent chance you might get super-duper humiliated in front of tens of millions of people,” Underwood noted.
“It’s changed a lot, and hopefully people can leave with some information that will make them better — no matter how long they are on the show,” she added.
Richie echoed her sentiment, noting that the judges now are more nurturing than they were in the past.
“Before, it was a great TV show where you go, ‘Boy, you suck. Go home,’ you know? ‘What the hell?'” he noted. “Now, it’s, ‘Okay, the kid is, first of all, traumatized from being here. A nervous wreck. How do we calm them down to build them up so they can get the best out of themselves?'”
The singer added, “If they go through, fantastic, but if they don’t go through, we want to build them up enough to where they can go out and go, ‘Okay, I gave it my best try, and Lionel and Luke and Carrie said I need to try harder.’ And they’ll be back.”
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Carrie Underwood Learns ‘American Idol’ Trick From Luke Bryan: ‘We Can Do That?’