Carrie Underwood Responds to Simon Cowell’s ‘American Idol’ Critique 20 Years Later

Simon Cowell is known to be a tough critic, even with the greatest talent. Carrie Underwood has been no exception to the music executive’s criticism. 

The American Idol winner recently took a look back at Cowell critiquing her 2005 performance of Rascal Flatt’s “The Broken Road.” Cowell described the country singer’s rendition as “robotic,” but added that she sang the song “beautifully” and that it was “very good.”

Underwood says Cowell wasn’t fully incorrect in his assessment. In an Instagram post, she noted “I will say he wasn’t wrong. I feel like in these moments — I mean, it was top five — I don’t know if it’s the time to go out on a limb and do anything crazy,’ she said of Cowell. “So like, picking something that you’re comfortable with, but then trying to work with the staging.”

Underwood added: “But then also — I consider myself a vocalist, like I want to sing things well. And if I ever try to think too much about what I’m doing on stage, I feel like my vocals suffer. So [Simon] was not wrong.”

Of the song, she said, “’I love singing “Bless The Broken Road.” Grateful for every broken road that led me here!” Underwood was crowned the Season 4 winner of the reality singing competition.

She returned to the show this season as a judge, filling the spot previously held by Katy Perry. Season 23 of the musical series premiered in March, and fans have been receptive to her on the panel.

Of her now working as a judge on the show, Underwood told PEOPLE, “I owe my career to American Idol. It has been such an important part of my life and I will always be grateful for that. Coming back as a judge 20 years later is such a special full-circle moment for me and it’s meant a lot to share that journey with the people that have been there from the beginning, as well as a whole new generation of Idol fans.”