3 Days to American Idol

“Carrie, you’re not just the girl to beat, you’re the person to beat. I will make a prediction – not only will you win this show, you will sell more records than any other previous Idol winner.”

-- Simon Cowell, after Carrie Underwood’s performance of “Alone,” Season 4


Truer, more prescient words were never spoken. Her raw talent was never in doubt, but up until that point in the competition, Carrie battled nerves, inexperience, and awkward stage presence. Then, she took a step outside her comfort zone and took on Heart’s iconic rock anthem. What followed was pure, unadulterated Idol magic! I fell a little bit in love with this gorgeous country girl that night, which is saying a lot coming from me. She became the favorite to win the competition that night, including mine, especially after Simon’s remarks.

Then, the following week, she solidified her front-runner status by returning to her strength with a knock-out performance of “Independence Day.” In successive weeks, she showcased her strength and her massive crossover appeal. Idol has yet to experience such a potent one-two punch. Those performances combined with unmatched consistency throughout the competition earned her the title – the first and only pure country singer to do so.

And like no other idol winner before (with the possible exception of Kelly Clarkson), she skyrocketed to superstardom, both on the country and pop charts. She’s still the only winner to take home the Grammy for Best New Artist, and only Kelly Clarkson, with one more album release to her name, has sold more records than Carrie. Still, Carrie has the record for best selling debut album release post-idol and best-selling album amongst all Idol alum.

Carrie is brilliant, and I’m proud to call myself a fan!