As country superstar Carrie Underwood makes her debut as a judge on the 23rd season of “American Idol,” she’s also giving fans an intimate look at her life 20 years ago, when she was competing on the talent show.
On February 26, 2025, ABC announced that in addition to serving as a judge, Underwood will host a digital series called “Idol to Icon,” as first reported by Deadline, with weekly episodes.
Carrie Underwood Shares Her Personal Journals in New Series
Viewers will get to see Underwood, who won “Idol” in 2005, for the first time as a judge when ABC airs a preview of season 23 after the Oscars on March 2. The season premiere will air a week later, on March 9.
According to Deadline, a new episode of “Idol to Icon” will be released each week, with Underwood reading from the personal journal entries she wrote while she appeared on the show two decades before, from wardrobe choices to confessions about how she was feeling.
The first full episode of “Idol to Icon” will be released on March 4, a few days ahead of the season premiere, per ABC. The journal entries and reflections that Underwood shares will align with what’s happening in the current competition that week.
The final episode of the web series will feature her memories of winning the 2005 finale, per Deadline. Underwood’s fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie are expected to appear, too.
In a preview of “Idol to Icon” released on February 28, Underwood is seen holding her journal and says, “Let’s take a look at my journal From when I was on ‘American Idol.'”
She then reads aloud, “I just have to keep in mind that it will all be worth it, and the life I’ve started will be great. Most importantly, I have to remember that this has all been my choice and it’s something I’ve wanted ever since I was a little girl.”
“I know I have some great things ahead of me right now,” she continues. “I’m just trying to live in the moment and appreciate it all. I never dreamed that all of this would happen to me. I love it.”
Fans Swoon Over Carrie Underwood Sharing Her Old Journals
GettyUnderwood shared her “Idol to Icon” preview on her own social media accounts and wrote, “I’m reminded still that @americanidol was and is always worth it. 💞 Happy to share an early look at #IdolToIcon, an exclusive digital series where I reflect on my own season while guiding our new hopefuls as a judge!”
Fans flooded her post, thrilled for a glimpse inside her own wild ride on “Idol” 20 years earlier.
One fan wrote, “‘I know I have some great things ahead of me’ might go down as the understatement of the century 😂 So cool to have kept that journal all these years!”
Another commented, “Love this so much!! I love that you show us personal parts of your life like this. It is always fun going down memory lane. I have followed you since your first audition on Idol and it has been a fantastic 20 years!!❤️”
Underwood was named as the show’s new judge in August, months after Katy Perry announced that she was leaving the judging panel after seven seasons.
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Carrie Underwood to Host New ‘Idol to Icon’ Series