Carrie Underwood is my favorite celebrity to ever exist. I was trying to hold off on writing this post because not everyone may care as much about her as I do, but I couldn’t help it. I am going to see her in concert in less than a week, so I need to get all of my thoughts out due to the excitement. Her Denim & Rhinestones tour shows could possibly include the best show she’s ever done. That statement excludes her performance at Stagecoach 2022 because that performance was on an entirely different level and was a million times better than what every other Country artist does on a daily basis.
I thought about going through Carrie Underwood’s career and showcasing the highlights, but that would take up the entire blog, so I’m just going to start typing and see where it takes us(probably down a spiral of Carrie Underwood facts).
She was born and raised in Oklahoma where she grew up on a small farm and enjoyed sports, the outdoors, and singing (more about her life can be found in her book Find Your Path). She then went to college and obtained a degree in broadcast journalism, but right before she completed college, she auditioned for and won the 2005 season of American Idol. She is the number one selling artist in American Idol history(obviously). After she won, “they” tried to turn her into a pop artist (how dare they). Her first album “Some Hearts” is even labeled as Pop on iTunes; however, she stayed true to the artist she always knew she was and became the current Queen of Country Music (the forever & always Queen is Dolly Parton).
Throughout her career, she has released seven albums, a double greatest hits album (because is that good), a Gospel album, and a Christmas album. She has also performed in a live TV production of “The Sound of Music”, been the voice of Sunday Night Football since 2013, co-hosted the CMA Awards for 12 years, wrote her own book, launched her own fitness app titled Fit52, started her own charity foundation, has a Las Vegas Residency, and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She also has 25 CMT Awards which is more than any artist ever. Also, she has two sons. So basically, she’s the best.
Carrie Underwood has managed to balance countless projects and passions throughout her career while simultaneously taking on anything thrown at her. There are very few celebrities that are as well liked as Carrie Underwood, and if someone doesn’t like her, they don’t have a good reason. She has managed to put out chart toping records and singles with every project she has completed even though the industry (specifically radio) does not want her or most Country females to be displayed and showcased the way the mainstream male artists are. Their thinking is absurd since anything that has Carrie Underwood’s name attached to it is a HUGE success. She has beaten down the barriers that exist in the Country Music industry and has shown that there is still room for a different perspective that doesn’t fit the industry’s agenda. Now, one could be reading this thinking that Carrie Underwood is the most mainstream female Country artist that exists. This is also true, but it is only true because she worked hard and stayed true to herself without conforming to the industry to rise above all of the nonsense to become the superstar she is today.
I think an example is required to fully show the extent at which the industry has tried to keep her from being at the top. In 2019, the CMA Awards gave the Entertainer of the Year award to Garth Brooks. Before I tell you why this was insane, I will say that everyone in the category was deserving of recognition for their work that year; however, that award is about who deserves it the most. Carrie Underwood had possibly the best year of her entire career. She tackled countless projects that included a tour, hosting the awards, SNF, and her fitness projects. Being named entertainer of the year is literally described as someone who represents Country Music well in every aspect of what they do. This means it is not simply about who is going and singing to more people. All Garth Brooks did that year was his stadium tour with songs from his past (again, he deserves credit for his work and for the amount of fans he reaches). The following should also be considered: Carrie Underwood has never won CMA Entertainer of the Year. You wouldn’t think that someone who has won 25 CMT, 17 AMAs, 16 ACM awards, and 8 Grammys would never have won CMA Entertainer of the Year, but it is true. This snub caused such an uproar (specifically from every other major female artist in Country Music and most other men) that Garth Brooks took himself out of the running for any future EOTY awards at the CMAs. The CMAs are the epitome of the establishment which just shows how set they were to keep Country Music only as what they wanted it to be.
With all of this nonsense being said, I think it is time to get back on track and talk about why Carrie Underwood is one of the best things to ever happen to Country Music (even if they don’t appreciate it). As previously said, she is one of the best vocalists to ever exist and is up there with Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, P!NK, and Lady Gaga. If you don’t believe me, go listen to her sing “How Great Thou Art” or her covering “Dream On”, “Sweet Child O Mine”, or “Fix You”. Next, she never fails. I cannot think of any project of Carrie Underwood’s that has not been up to standard. When she puts her mind to something, she fully executes it. Name another female Country artist that is selling out stadium tours without the help of another major artist (none). Lastly, she remembers what Country music is all about while also putting her own modern twist on her style that invites all music fans in. She has songs filled with storytelling, passion, and quintessential Country instruments such as “Wine after Whiskey”, “Wasted”, “Choctaw County Affair”, and “She Don’t Know” while also bring in some rock and pop vibes with “Poor Everybody Else”, “Undo It”, “Good Girl”, and “Pink Champagne”.
Not only is Carrie Underwood one of the best vocalists, she is also one of the best entertainers in Country Music. She does far more than just stand in one spot on a sage with a red solo cup in her hand singing into a microphone stand while wearing jeans and boots (that sentence was purposely structured to give off the same vibes as the artists who only do that exact thing at their shows). She has drum solos, harmonica solos, fireworks, wardrobe changes, flies through the air, and engages the audience in countless ways! That’s an entertainer. She puts more thought, effort, and passion into one show than many artists put into their entire tour. The best example of this is her 2022 Stagecoach performance that I cannot even begin to describe, so everyone should just go watch it. Finally, her latest album “Denim & Rhinestones” is what I believe is the best representation of her. She co-wrote almost every song, was a co-producer, and incorporated her favorite styles of music into the album. She brought the rock vibe twice, she brought fun and uplifting pop vibes, she brought some good ole Country vibes, and she showcased her own personality all in this album. Some other Country Music blog/vlog creators dismissed this album quickly because they didn’t take the time to understand its origins. This is the second album she has created where she is not under her American Idol contract, so her own style and artistic preferences are being shown. She also wanted this album to just be “fun” at the end of the day, so she showcased her vocals as always and gave us songs that both her and her audience can connect with. So, with this being said, I think we all can appreciate this album a little more knowing that it came from a passionate place.
To finish off my rant of a blog, I want to talk about her as a person. While I don’t actual know her as a person and all of my thoughts come from some form of media, I think its safe to say she’s a solid person. She lives a pretty private life with her two sons, husband, and three dogs on their giant farm. She also has managed to stay out of controversy (not that people haven’t tried to drag her into some). At the end of the day, she seems like a good person who loves Jesus, her family, using her gifts and abilities to better the world, and honoring those that came before her in the genre. She has walked through her entire 18 year career with grace and poise that should be an example for anyone but specifically women. So, I think we should all appreciate Carrie Underwood’s presence in this world a little more :)
#country #countrymusic #blog #nashville #carrieunderwood #queen #denim&rhinestones
I can’t believe she has never won entertainer of the year