Carrie Underwood to Perform on 'American Idol' Season Finale
Carrie Underwood is returning to American Idol! The singer just announced she will take the stage [...]
Carrie Underwood is returning to American Idol! The singer just announced she will take the stage on Sunday, May 19 to perform for the season finale.
"Excited to head back to @AmericanIdol and perform on the finale this Sunday, May 19 on @ABCNetwork!" Underwood announced on social media.
Underwood will already be in California, as part of her Cry Pretty Tour 360, which plays in Bakersfield on May 18, one night before the season finale. She likely won't have any time to head to her Tennessee home, since her next show is in Oregon on May 21.
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Underwood won Season 4 of American Idol in 2005, when she was only 22 years old. Her win sparked one of the most successful Idol careers of all time, launching her quickly into superstar status. As part of her winnings, she won a recording contract, a Ford Mustang convertible, and use of a private jet – which she unfortunately had to decline.
"At the time, because even when you're on a show like that it's not like I had money all of a sudden, and a lot of times when someone gives you a gift of that magnitude you have to pay taxes on it," Underwood previously told The Guardian. "I didn't have the money to pay taxes on a jet, so I was like, 'I'm good thanks.'"
The Oklahoma native was picked by former judge Simon Cowell as the likely winner of American Idol that season, even though he got her home state wrong.
"I remember he went on Oprah or Ellen and was talking about a little blonde girl who tried out in Missouri, and I assumed that was me, so he was always a big supporter of me," Underwood recalled. "Then they started using me on the commercials. I was getting ready in my dorm room and I had the TV on and there I was."
Luke Bryan is also scheduled to perform during the finale. The judge will sing his current single, "Knockin' Boots," as well as another song, yet to be announced, with Idol finalist Laci Kaye Booth. No word yet if fellow judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry will also perform.
ABC just announced American Idol would return for the third season on the network. The season finale will air on Sunday, May 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
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