‘A Full Circle Moment’: Ryan Seacrest Welcomes Carrie Underwood As New American Idol Judge Nearly 20 Years After Her Win

Accompanying a sentimental message, the veteran Idol host shared two photos depicting him with Underwood over the years. The first photo dated back to the finale of season 4 in 2005, where Underwood beat Bo Bice to claim the title. The second picture showed them on stage during America’s Got Talent in 2016.

Yesterday on GMA, it was announced that Underwood would be joining the judge’s panel, making her the first former American Idol contestant to do so. The news came with a clip showing her leaving her Oklahoma hometown to audition for the show over two decades ago. Since then, Underwood has made a lasting impact in the music industry, earning eight Grammys and numerous other prestigious awards in her field.

In a recorded message, Underwood recalled a time when we lived in our small home and saw on TV that auditions were happening in St. Louis. Her mom offered to drive her if she wanted to go. Later, she went from being unknown to having over tens of millions of people watching the show after her journey on American Idol.

In the recorded interview, Underwood stated that she was proud of all her achievements on the show and beyond, and rightly so, as she’s a highly acclaimed singer in the country music industry. With nine studio albums under her belt and multiple successful headlining tours, she has truly made a name for herself. (For those unfamiliar, this means that she is well-known and respected in the country music scene.)

“Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, celebrated Underwood by stating this feels like a complete cycle for both the show and viewers at home. Reflecting Seacrest’s thoughts, he added that as a former Idol winner and powerful musical artist, Underwood offers an exceptionally rare viewpoint to one of television’s most-watched shows.”

I’m thrilled to share that as a devoted fan, I’m looking forward to the upcoming season 23 of American Idol, due to air in spring 2025. The esteemed panel of judges – Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie – promises an exceptional experience!

In February, Perry announced she was leaving the show, expressing a wish to feel and perhaps create fresh tunes as her motivation for departure. Known for hits like Roar, Perry plans to release her upcoming album, titled 143, marking her first studio effort since Smile (2020), on September 20th.