Fans React To Carrie Underwood Crying As She Watches Her American Idol Win 20 Years Ago

Country superstar Carrie Underwood replaced Katy Perry as judge on Season 23 of American Idol, joining returning judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Her return to Idol marked a full-circle moment for Carrie, as she won Season 4 in 2005.

Throughout the Season 23 competition, Carrie took part in a series called "Idol to Icon," where she looked back at some of her most memorable moments on the show. She reflected on rewatching her original American Idol audition, revisiting Hollywood Week, and performing her iconic rendition of "Alone."

Following 27-year-old Jamal Roberts' Season 23 win, Carrie looked back on her own journey and the moment that changed her life forever. It was a bittersweet moment that showed fans how grateful Carrie really was for her Idol journey.

Carrie Underwood Watches Her Iconic American Idol Win 20 Years Ago

Fans celebrated Carrie Underwood's epic return as a judge on Season 23 of American Idol. It felt only fitting that someone who had once stood on that very stage, surviving the nerve-wracking auditions, enduring the intensity of Hollywood Week, and performing live week after week, would return to guide the next batch of Idol hopefuls. Carrie understood firsthand what it takes to become a true singing superstar.

Fans were even given a special treat as Carrie looked back at some of her most memorable moments on Season 4 with the "Idol to Icon" series. In her last installment, it was only right that she rewatched her epic win.

Watching her Season 4 finale, where she was up against Bo Bice, Carrie revealed that she had a "death grip on the microphone" as she and Bo waited for host Ryan Seacrest to announce the winner. After Ryan declared Carrie the Season 4 winner, she received a standing ovation from the judges and the entire audience.

It was touching to see Carrie share "how amazing Bo is" while the two competed against one another for the crown. She detailed that she and Bo "were besties from early on in the show" so she was glad that he was in the finale with her, calling it "a dream come true to have her friend next to me."

Carrie watched herself take the stage to sing what would be her debut single, "Inside Your Heaven," and shared through tear-filled eyes, "I feel like I'm watching someone else right now. It's still very surreal."

The "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer then reflected on her American Idol journey and fans were surprised to hear that she thought about it "all the time."

"I think about my American Idol journey all the time because it's so grand. It's unbelievable. If somebody where to explain to me my journey in their own words, I would be like, 'That's impossible ...'"

She continued, "To go from somebody who was going to school, trying to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. It was a whim to try out for American Idol, and to make it past the first round, make it past the second round, to keep going, and end up the last person standing and then everything that happened since then, it sounds insane. If I hadn't made that one decision in my life, my life would be completely different."

"It's a cool legacy to be a part of."

Fans Appreciated That Carrie Has Never "Distanced Herself" From Winning A Reality TV Show

The last and finale installment of Carrie's "Idol to Icon" series also saw the country singer looking back at the actual journal entry she wrote before she won Season 4.

"I can’t believe I’ll be in the finale! I am so totally excited. I honestly think I’ll come in second, but that’s fine with me," her journal entry read. "I’m ready to take over the country music scene. Well this is it, one more night — and I will either be the next American Idol or I will be the next American Idol runner-up."

Carrie also took to her journal when she learned she had won the competition. Reading her entry back to herself, she wrote that her "heart beat fast" while waiting for Ryan's announcement. "I immediately started crying. It was a beautiful moment ... I tried my best to get through the song, it was truly an incredible moment."

After watching Carrie relive such an emotional and pivotal moment in her life, many fans took to Reddit to express their appreciation that she didn’t distance herself from American Idol. Instead, she openly thanked the show for playing a key role in her journey to stardom.

• "I love that she never shies away from how important American Idol was for her. She never tried to distance herself from the show or her Idol title. It’s sweet to see her get so emotional about her journey because she’s normally pretty stoic," a comment read.
• "Aww I love this! I love that she is still proud of what she did and all of her reflection. And seeing her get emotional like this is really heartwarming. I’d love to see more winners do this!" Another person wrote.
• "I’ve really enjoyed this series on YouTube all season long. This is a great episode, Carrie’s commentary is gold!"

Will Carrie Return To American Idol As Judge For Season 24?

When Carrie was announced as the new judge to replace Katy Perry for Season 23, Idol fans had mixed reactions. Some viewers voiced concerns that the judging panel now leaned too heavily toward country music since Luke was also a judge, while others questioned whether Carrie had enough experience with other genres to fairly critique these Idol hopefuls. Of course, she proved them all wrong, and she did a great job while sitting in between Luke and Lionel.

It's too soon to tell if Carrie will return for Season 24, and she has not yet addressed her future on the show. However, fans have expressed that while it took her some time to get adjusted in the judge's chair, she slowly proved that she had what it takes to accurately judge performances and give good criteria and advice.

"I think she's doing great. I like how she gives the singers her full attention and relates to the process with them," a person wrote in a Reddit thread.

In her last "Idol to Icon" series, Carrie asked if she had grown as a judge this season.

"Obviously, this is a role I have never been in before and I was really nervous about things I would have to say, advise I would have to give, you kind of don't know how you're going to act, react, and come across when you've never been in a certain situtaion before. More than anything, I wanted to give constructive advise and help the hopefuls along the way," she shared.

Carrie ended her series by calling Idol the "ultimate Cinderella story."

Season 24 of American Idol does not have a premiere date as of this writing, but it will likely air in 2026. In the meantime, the show is currently holding auditions.

For more American Idol coverage, visit our Reality TV Hub.

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