'American Idol' winner Carrie Underwood returns to show as a judge



Carrie Underwood is returning to "American Idol" after winning the contest 20 years ago in order to be a judge on the show.

The country superstar will replace Katy Perry, who has been on the judging panel for seven years.

'I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching.'

The announcement was made Thursday by Craig Erwich, the president of Disney Television Group.

"This upcoming season marks 20 years since Carrie won America’s hearts on ‘Idol’ and launched her successful multi-GRAMMY Award-winning career. As a former Idol and dynamic musical force, she brings a remarkably unique perspective to one of the most popular shows on television," he said.

"This is a full-circle moment both for the show and audiences at home who have been tuning in for over two decades," he added. "Welcome home, Carrie."

Underwood has previously returned to the show in smaller roles, including as a mentor and also as a performer in its 2022 finale.

She will sit at the judging panel next to Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan for Season 23.

"I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show," she said in a video about her return to Idol. "I’m proud of everything I was able to accomplish on the show, and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since."

The popular singer made headlines in 2021 when many on the left tried to cancel her for merely "liking" a tweet that criticized the "cruel and indefensible mask mandate for children." She had previously poked fun at former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump during separate appearances at the Country Music Awards.

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Music stars Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Chris Tomlin to perform benefit concert for Covenant School shooting victims: 'Hope in a broken world'



Country music stars and other Nashville-based music stars will perform a benefit concert for the victims of the Covenant School shooting.

At 7 p.m. CT on April 12, more than 20 musical acts will raise money for the victims of the atrocious Nashville shooting that took the lives of six people last month. The "Night of Joy: Celebrating Covenant School" benefit concert at Belmont University’s Fisher Center in Nashville will "honor the victims and their families, the church, staff, and the first responders."

"Nashville musicians and songwriters stand with the Covenant School and Covenant Church for a night of joy, restoration, music, and memory," the description of the event reads.

The concert will feature Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Chris Tomlin, Lady A, Colony House, Sixpence None the Richer, Mat Kearney, Ben Rector, Dave Barnes, Drew Holcomb, Ellie Holcomb, Ketch Secor, Matt Maher, the Warren Brothers, Natalie Hemby, Stephanie and Nathan Chapman, the War and Treaty, Trent Dabbs, Tyler Hubbard, Sarah Kroger, Brett Taylor, Luke Laird, Sandra McCracken, Dwan Hill, Jasmine Mullen, and Sarah Kroger.

Natalie Hemby said, "Nashville is once again stepping up and using its talents and resources to support the community. After attending the funerals of victims, who were also friends, it will be healing for me to be able to sing songs about hope in a broken world, and to honor the victims, the school, and the first responders."

New York Times best-selling author Annie F. Downs will host the event.

Downs added, "I'm so honored to be a part of this event, gathering with our city and rallying around a school and community that I love so much."

All of the proceeds from the benefit concert will go to the victims of the Covenant School mass shooting.

The deadly attack on March 27 took the lives of 9-year-old students Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney. Also murdered in the mass shooting were Covenant School head Katherine Koonce, 60; substitute teacher Cynthia Peak, 61; and custodian Mike Hill, 60.

Tickets for the benefit concert for the Covenant School went on sale on Wednesday and have already sold out.

Donations can be made to the Caring for Covenant Fund – a charity "to support the healing" of those affected by the Covenant School shooting.

On Sunday, country music singer Kelsea Ballerini addressed the Nashville school shooting and gun violence before hosting the 2023 CMT Music Awards.

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Carrie Underwood Gets It: Masks in School Are Useless (With Data) | Ep 473

Carrie Underwood Gets It: Masks in School Are Useless (With Data) | Ep 473

Cancel Culture Mob Attacks Carrie Underwood For Liking Anti-Mask Tweet

After "liking" a Matt Walsh tweet criticizing mask mandates for children, Carrie Underwood was ambushed by Twitter's leftist cancel-culture mob.