Carrie Underwood is following up her return appearance to American Idol for the show’s season finale with a throwback to her win back in season 4. It has been 14 years since Underwood walked away with the coveted title, sharing a photo of the moment her win was announced on Instagram.
“14 years ago today… my world changed,” Underwood wrote on her Instagram Story. “It’s true when I say that ‘you can’t cry pretty.’” The line is a reference to her hit single “Cry Pretty” and her world tour of the same name.
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The photo she shared with the moment showed Underwood on the cusp of bursting into tears as Ryan Seacrest and runner-up Bo Bice stand around her.
The country superstar returned to perform on the show’s finale last Sunday, performing her song “Southbound” ahead of the announcement for the latest winners of the reality showcase.
She spoke with Ryan Seacrest during her appearance, recounting her own victory and her feelings at the moment, noting she was “horrified, scared, nervous, excited, all of the above.”
Underwood is one of a few success stories for Idol over the years. As PEOPLE points out, she is close with inaugural American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson and have shown a playful side with each other on social media.
“I think we’re both winning in life and pretty blessed!,” Clarkson wrote on Twitter in reaction to a ballot for choosing the “most iconic American Idol” winner. “Singers, mamas, CEOs…[Ambitious Blonds] go ahead [Carrie Underwood].”
Underwood responded with her own take on the poll, noting how it was shame women always had to be pitted against each other.
“But seriously, I do wish more publications would just celebrate women’s success without pitting them against each other,” she wrote. “Just my thoughts…anyway…Love ya, Hope you’re well!”
The former American Idol winner is currently on her Cry Pretty 360 tour, with the finale appearance marking a pit stop for the singer. She is also still doing her mom duties too, noting it is chaotic to travel with her two children. This includes her youngest who she gave birth to back in January.
“Sometimes I’ll literally look at my husband and be like, ‘We have two sons. We have two kids. We’ve been married for almost nine years. We have two children. We live on a farm.’ Like it’s just weird to think how life turns out sometimes. Life is very different with two. We kind of got out of that baby stage with Isaiah. He’s much more self-efficient, and he can brush his own teeth and put his own clothes on, and he’s making decisions for himself, and then we start all over with the little squishy one again,” Underwood told TODAY in a recent interview. “It’s just kind of crazy. You forget how hard it is, to be honest, but you just figure your way through it. I am so blessed to have Isaiah who is super helpful and super sweet, and he loves his little brother.”