Carrie Underwood's Stunning Transformation, From American Idol To The Inauguration

When we first met Carrie Underwood, she was a down home "All-American Girl" from Oklahoma who'd never even been on a plane. She was beautiful, but unpolished, and had the most incredible voice. She'd spent the years before that working hard, landing her first job at a gas station and working a strange gig at a hotel. "I had one day of training and then the next day I came in, and the lady that had worked there the longest and was training me just didn't show. So, the second day at work I was now in charge 'cause I was now the senior member that was working at the hotel," she told Universal Music Group.

But she's come a long way since then. A very long way. Underwood became one of country music's brightest stars, winning eight Grammys, nine CMA Awards, and 17 American Music Awards, to name just a few. And even she's admitted her Cinderella-esque rise to fame maybe seemed a little too perfect from the outside. "I keep waiting for the big drop, because they say everything is full of ups and downs, but everything so far has worked out so wonderful," she said on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 2009.

She wasn't wrong, as the "Love Wins" singer's career has been full of glistering highs (and only the occasional low). So, grab your Louisville Sluggers and your "Denim and Rhinestones," because we're looking back at Underwood's stunning transformation from "American Idol" darling to inauguration eyebrow raiser.

Carrie Underwood is the true definition of a small town girl. The beauty was born in Checotah, Oklahoma, in 1983 to a teacher mom and a paper-mill worker dad, who raised cattle on their farm. But there was no Shiloh Jolie-esque lavish lifestyle here. The Underwoods didn't even have cable and the blond-haired little girl chose to spend much of her time outdoors. "I'm so glad I grew up there and my parents still live there and I get to go back and visit and still be a part of the town. I can help the town out with my foundation and still be an active member of that town. It's full of good people and hard-working people," Underwood told Country 103.7 in 2020.

But despite not growing up in the bright lights of New York or Los Angeles, she still had big dreams. Though she was a keen athlete at school, she knew singing was her true passion. "I loved softball so much and played for nine years ... I played fast-pitch for a little bit in high school but ended up having to quit the team because I kept missing practices due to my singing. I think I made the right choice!" she told People in 2020.

The youngster was so determined to sing she was offered a recording contract as a teenager, but the deal fell through. Understandably though, Underwood hasn't lost much sleep over the false career start. "I honestly think it's a lot better that nothing came out of it now, because I wouldn't have been ready then. Everything has a way of working out," she told Hello!.

When Carrie Underwood auditioned for "American Idol," she was more focused on getting her bachelors degree in mass communications and broadcast journalism than singing. But, after seeing the ABC show was looking for contestants for its fourth season, Underwood drove to auditions with her mom to try her luck. Of course, her talent was undeniable and she made it through to Hollywood — but appearing on the competition wasn't easy for this southern beauty.

Speaking to Guideposts, she admitted she was so nervous when her parents took her to the airport to fly to Hollywood that she almost bailed. "My dad turned to me in the backseat. 'Carrie,' he said, 'We can go home right now, and we don't ever have to talk about it again.' "I took a deep breath. 'No,' I said at last. 'I'll go.'" And it was quite the adjustment when she got to the west coast. "'Idol' was probably the most horrifying thing, because I had never been away from my hometown like that before," she told Parade in 2015. "I was in L.A., of all places, by myself, putting myself out there, which is a scary thing for anybody to do. My first plane ride was when I was going out to L.A. alone." Despite her nerves, the "Blown Away" hitmaker's talent quickly won America's hearts and was crowned the fourth "American Idol" in May 2005,changing her life forever.

But her newfound success didn't mean she was willing to abandon her education. Underwood graduated from Northeastern State University in 2006 and her time on "American Idol" counted toward her degree. "I've obviously done enough with television. There was my internship right there!" she joked to People.

Though Carrie Underwood had been a little shy and understated on "American Idol," audiences saw a whole new side to her when she dropped "Before He Cheats" in 2006. The super sassy country hit made a splash following the slower singles "Jesus, Take The Wheel" and "Don't Forget To Remember Me," and the iconic music video featured Underwood taking a Louisville Slugger to a truck after discovering her fictional partner was cheating. The song saw Taylor Swift (who's had a gorgeous transformation of her own)-esque crossover success and went on to be certified seven times platinum in 2021, further contributing to the huge success of her debut album, "Some Hearts," which was certified nine times platinum.

But Underwood, who had a few outfits that didn't work as she got more daring, didn't know at the time how big her signature hit would become. She admitted on "The Howard Stern Show" in 2023 that she and her record label were nervous about releasing the track because it was such a departure for her. "It was an aggressive song. I just sang 'Jesus, Take the Wheel' and now she's getting violent," she joked. Clearly, though, she had nothing to worry about.

Carrie Underwood had a couple of public romances before finding love with Mike Fisher — she publicly dated "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford and football player Tony Romo — but nothing quite compared to her romance with the professional hockey player. The two met in 2008, the same year she became a member of the Grand Ole Opry, after one of her bandmembers set them up and invited him to one of her meet and greets. Clearly, the Grammy winner liked what she saw. On "Behind The Music" in 2012, Underwood recalled texting her friend after meeting the athlete, "Hot, hot, hot!" (via Bustle). The two went on their first proper date on New Year's Eve and shared a sweet midnight smooch that marked their last first kiss. Adorable!

Things moved fairly quickly for the loved-up couple after that. In December 2009, Underwood and Fisher got engaged and they didn't waste much time heading down the aisle. They tied the knot seven months later and told People, "We could not feel more blessed to have found each other and to have shared this day with our friends and family that mean so much to us!"

Amid Carrie Underwood's hugely successful singing career and the release of her third album "Play On," she made an unexpected career deviation. In 2010, she landed a guest role on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," appearing in one episode as a love interest for Josh Radnor's character. The star joked about her lack of acting experience to E! News on the set, quipping, "I really stretch my legs in characters. I'm trying to sound like I know what I'm doing. I really don't at all, but everybody's been really patient."

Underwood's foray into thespianism didn't end there. The following year, she appeared in the movie "Soul Surfer," which told the real-life story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, alongside big names including Helen Hunt and Dennis Quaid. "I've done, obviously, a lot of music videos so I think in that way that kind of prepared me for being in front of the camera, but it's a completely different thing being with other actors and trying to make a movie and I'm going to try to make it good," she told The Oklahoman of her first big motion picture.

Carrie Underwood was ready for another new challenge by 2014. Now the face of "Sunday Night Football," she turned her attention to creating her own clothing line. The star announced Calia by Carrie Underwood in association with Dick's Sporting Goods, which was made up of versatile pieces designed to fit women's busy lifestyles. "The inspiration for this line came from my desire to clothes that seamlessly take me from workouts, to errands, to rehearsals and beyond," Underwood said in a press release. "As someone who is passionate about health and fitness, I'm excited to offer women a wardrobe that will move with them and encourage them to stay the path of leading an active lifestyle," she added.

The brand became one of the store's most popular collections, largely due to Underwood's practical pieces and her dedication to inclusivity. "We're not all size zeros. We're different shapes, sizes, ages. It's important to encourage people and be a part of people's journeys, no matter where they are in those journeys," she told People in 2019.

But Underwood wasn't only focused on expanding her work empire. That September, she confirmed she and Mike Fisher were about to become mom and dad. "Ace & Penny would like to make an announcement. Their parents couldn't be happier!" she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing a snap of herself sitting with her pups wearing big brother and big sister clothing. Their son, Isaiah Fisher, was born in March 2015.

After making the leap from long hair to short, Carrie Underwood experienced a dark time in 2017 when she fell, breaking her wrist and injuring her face. Underwood opened up about the scary incident on her fan club blog, sharing her face needed up to 50 stitches. "It's crazy how a freak random accident can change your life," she wrote (via People). 

But her tragic time didn't end there. In 2018, she joined the ranks of celebs who have spoken about miscarriages, sharing she experienced three within a year. "I had always been afraid to be angry because we are so blessed. And my son, Isaiah, is the sweetest thing. And he's the best thing in the world," she said on "CBS This Morning." "And I'm like, 'If we can never have any other kids, that's okay, because he's amazing.' And I have this amazing life. Like, really, what can I complain about? I can't," she said. But, in reality, Underwood got so angry she had a candid conversation with God through tears, asking him to give her a baby or not allow her to get pregnant again. That same year, Underwood spoke to Women's Health about the healing she felt after sharing her story. "[It felt like a] weight lifted off my shoulders. It's not a dirty secret," she said. Underwood put a lot of her heartache into her sixth album, "Cry Pretty."

Thankfully, the sad chapter didn't stay that way. There was a bright spot in 2018 when the "Church Bells" singer got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in January 2019, she and Fisher welcomed another son, Jacob Fisher. "Our lives are forever changed. Life is good..." she wrote on Instagram.

Carrie Underwood spoke about her dedication to health and fitness multiple times throughout her career — hey, her killer legs don't make themselves! — but she took things one step further in 2020. The country star released her lifestyle book, "Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life," that March, sharing everything from healthy recipes to fitness tips. The release coincided with the launch of her fitness app, Fit52. "Fitness is a true passion for me. The Fit52 app incorporates what I've been doing myself for years, and we've made it easy and totally accessible for anyone that wants help to work in working out," she said in a press release. The app includes various workouts led by Underwood and her trainer and, as of January 2025, Fit52 claimed to have over 500,000 members. But just as one venture outside of music started, another ended. The following year, Underwood stepped down from Calia by Carrie Underwood.

But the mom-of-two's focus was still very much on music, too. In 2021, she became the first artist to play at the Resorts World Arena in Las Vegas, debuting her "Reflection" residency show that December. Resort's World Las Vegas confirmed in October 2024 she was on track to perform for over 300,000 fans and announced she'd be leaving Sin City in April 2025, likely to accommodate another huge step in her career.

In a Hollywood-worthy full-circle moment, it was announced in August 2024 that Carrie Underwood would return to her roots. Exactly 20 years after she won "American Idol," ABC confirmed the "Before He Cheats" hitmaker as Katy Perry's replacement on the judging panel. Underwood stepped out alongside her co-stars Ryan Seacrest, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan in October 2024 and told "Extra" of the gig, "It's part of me, it's part of my history, so hopefully I can just bring that into my advice for the people that are standing in front of us."

The news broke one year after Underwood made a move into radio. In 2023, she launched her own SiriusXM channel, titled Carrie's Country– a career progression even she wasn't expecting. "I honestly never thought of that as a goal until SiriusXM came to me and they were like, 'Would you be interested?" she told The Music Row Happy Hour that year. After learning she'd get to pick all her own songs, Underwood agreed to add another string to her bow as DJ. 

Though Carrie Underwood's two-decade career largely avoided controversy and strong, public political views, she raised eyebrows in January 2025 when she agreed to perform at Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration. "I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event. I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future," she said in a statement obtained by People. 

But the decision didn't go down well with everyone. Underwood's performance was heavily debated on social media and even became a hot topic on "The View." "How do you love your country and support and normalize somebody who was a convicted felon who really wants to destroy the country, in my opinion?" panelist Joy Behar asked. However, her co-star Whoopi Goldberg took a different approach, saying of Underwood, "I stand behind her."

Although not everyone is on the same page about this career move, it's hard to deny that Underwood has come a long way since her "American Idol" days. She's transformed from a fish out of water singing hopeful to a confident, jet-setting mom of two who makes her own rules, so it makes sense why she didn't have any advice for her younger self when asked by Redbook in 2018. "I don't know if I'd tell her much of anything, because I would want everything to turn out exactly how it has. Every lesson that I've learned was an important one and led me to where I am — and I like where I am now," she said.