Womanista Exclusive: Carrie Underwood Talks Fashion, Fitness, Parenting and More!

The reigning Queen of Country Music, Carrie Underwood, is one of the busiest women on the planet these days – her new line of fashionable workout wear, CALIA, is receiving rave reviews, she is a global beauty ambassador for cosmetics brand Almay, she’s ramping up for her fifth studio release, Storyteller, out October 23rd…oh and she’s a new momma to her son, Isaiah (phew! we’re tired just thinking about it.)

We think it’s safe to say that Carrie is a total #GirlBoss Womanista. We chatted recently abouther new music, “real life” fashion, how she gets her glowing skin (and those incredible legs!), and staying true to herself as the CEO of the Carrie Underwood brand. She’s a woman at the top of her game, and we can’t wait to see what she does next!

Womanista:
What inspired you for the design of CALIA? Are you inspired in different ways for your fashion line vs your music?

Carrie Underwood:
I am a very busy lady these days and I do my best to try to maintain an active lifestyle. I needed clothes that would work for and with me throughout my day, no matter what my schedule had in store for me. I noticed a gap in the marketplace for clothing that is functional for workouts, but also looked nice enough to transition into “real life.” With CALIA, I truly feel like we bridge the gap giving women clothing that makes them look and feel good no matter where they go and what they do! My amazing team at Dick’s Sporting Goods and I have a lot of fun picking out patterns and colors and fabrics…it’s a whole new way to be creative apart from my music! Plus, I have a closet full of amazing clothes that I helped design! That’s a pretty great feeling!

Keyhole Back Tank Top
Effortless Jersey Cardigan
Essential Printed Tight Fit Capris
Everyday Tote
Fruit Infusion Water Bottle
Nike ‘Flyknit Zoom’ Agility Shoe
Optimal Solutions® Organic Coconut Oil
Almay Smart Shade Skintone Matching Makeup

Womanista:
Your skin is so beautiful! Could you fill us in on your skincare routine?

Carrie Underwood:
I keep things pretty simple! I drink a lot of water. Other than that, I use make up that has SPF (Almay Smart Shade) and I like to use coconut oil on my face and body at night. It feels and smells so good!

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Womanista:
As the “CEO” of your own brand, what have you learned about staying true to yourself and your passions while balancing a lot of different facets of your business?

Carrie Underwood:
I really just want to make things (whether it’s music, clothing, or some other project I’m working on) that I love, and that I love to incorporate into my own life. That’s all. I want to write and sing songs that I, as a fan of Country Music, would like to have playing on my radio. I want to create clothing that I want to live in. It’s a lot more genuine and fun when I stop worrying about the “business” side of things and just focus on being creative!

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Womanista:
We are so excited for your new music! The sound of country music has changed in a lot of ways since you released Blown Away in 2012. Did you think about that and change your approach when you were writing and looking for songs for Storyteller?

Carrie Underwood:
I never try to overthink new music. I just go in and write with good friends who just happen to be amazing songwriters and see what we come up with. The same goes for listening to demos. It’s all about seeing what I gravitate towards as far as sound and content. If I try to force anything, it sounds like I did just that. If I just let the puzzle pieces figure themselves out, I feel like it always ends up better. The new album, “Storyteller,” just happened to end up with a bit more of a “traditional Country” sound and, of course, ended up being all about the stories…whether they be personal or character-driven.

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Womanista:
With a busy touring schedule (and now as a mom!) how do you make time for your workout routine on the road? What are some of your favorite leg & butt-shaping workouts?

Carrie Underwood:
I have to make myself and my health a priority…there are 24 hours in a day. I try to devote at least part of one of them (maybe even a whole hour if I’m lucky) to physical activity. Sometimes that means the little guy has to be a part of it. But, lucky for me, Isaiah loves going for walks/jogs, so he often comes along! I think it’ll be good for him as he grows up to see parents who take their health seriously. Mike and I both want to be around for him as long as we can…it might sound strange to think about that now when we’re only in our 30’s, but better to prevent illness now than try to fight it later in life. I love running and doing things like squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups. I don’t need any fancy equipment…I can make an amazing work out with my own body weight and a tabata timer (app on my phone) and I can do it anywhere!