American Idol’sCarrie Underwood is the newest judge on the panel, and though her experience with the show and emotional sidehave pushed her to fail in her new role, I think she can turn things aroundthis season. Carrie, whose judging gig onAmerican Idolseason 23marks the first-ever winner to return to the series as a judge, has been capturing the hearts of millions for years. As the winner ofAmerican Idolseason 4, Carrie has become a country mega-star in the years since her season, and though she’s appeared onIdolbefore, judging is new.
Carrie’s time onAmerican Idolcomes on the heels of the show’s reboot judge, Katy Perry, choosing to leave the series after a handful of seasons. While Katy, along withher fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, were chosen for their illustrious industry experience, it’s clear there were some things going on behind the scenes to make her time onIdoldifficult. Katy’s given Carrie her blessing, and while the pop sensation believes Carrie will be an impactful judge, I’m not sure she has the right idea. After seeing anAmerican Idolpreview,Carrie needs to make some changes.
Carrie may need to deal with the fact that her role as an American Idoljudge will tap into emotions she hasn’t felt in years.
Carrie Underwood Told A Contestant What To Say
Although she’s been working hard to ensure that she’s prepared for the task of being anAmerican Idoljudge, one of the earliest previews of Carrie onIdolproves she doesn’t know her role yet. During an audition shared in a preview clip byParade,Carrie told contestant Breanna Nix to“never say I’m just a stay-at-home mom”when Breanna referred to herself as such. WhileCarrie was obviously coming at Breanna with good intentions, trying to ensure she valued herself and her talent, I don’t think it’s Carrie’s place to dictate how people express themselves.
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Carrie’s comments may have been positiveto her, but Breanna sharing her identity as a stay-at-home mother was something she wanted to communicate with the judges. Carrie choosing to overstep her boundaries as a judge and share her thoughts on the way Breanna presented herself was too much. While Carrie may be excited for her new role,she needs to work harder to remember her place and comment on the performancesrather than the contestants’ communication or self-expression.
Carrie’s Overshadowing The Contestants
She’s Too Big Of A Star
Carrie’s career has been one ofthe biggest to come out ofAmerican Idol,and while she’s great to have as a part of the show, her star-power is simply too massive for the contestants to get the attention they deserve. Throughout her career, Carrie has been one of the fewAmerican Idolwinners or contestants to ever be able to make it over the threshold of superstardom. As a country star for nearly two decades, Carrie’s been working and gaining traction for years. TheAmerican Idolseason 23contestants who are looking for their big break may feel overshadowed.
Lionel Richie Said She’s A “Nervous Wreck”
Her Fellow Judges Don’t Have Faith In Her
Carrie’s fellow judge and superstar Lionel has been open about his time on the show in the past, and shared some feedback about the newAmerican Idoljudge that doesn’t bode well for her working on the panel. Sharing that Carrie was“a nervous wreck”toTV Insider,Lionel explained that he could relate to her feelings from his early days onIdol.
“It was the same thing we went through: How do I say that many no’s? [Carrie] was a nervous wreck. I go home some nights going, ‘Okay, how can I help this contestant?’ We get so invested in their stories and lives that we almost become the parents. We want for them to win in life.”
WhileCarrie’s handling her anxiety well, it’s clear that she’s having a hard time emotionally detaching fromAmerican Idolseason 23’s contestants. For Carrie specifically, who’s been on the journey withIdol,it may wind up even more difficult to see contestants fumble or fail. Carrie may need to deal with the fact that her role as anAmerican Idoljudge will tap into emotions she hasn’t felt in years, and push her to be less sensitive than she likely wants to. While she has some ground to make up, I think Carrie can find her way onAmerican Idol.
American Idolpremieres on Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
