Carrie Underwood is getting candid about American Idol. Amid her first season judging the show she won two decades ago, the country singer took to X to bemoan the hardest part about her new role.
“Saying ‘no’ is the worsty worst worstest,” she wrote while live tweeting the show’s most recent episode.
One “no” Underwood handed out was to Josh King, who sang “Over the Rainbow.” During her explanation, Underwood said, “I’m trying to figure out where you would fit in in the space of the show. I’m going to say no, but maybe you can prove me wrong.”
On X, Underwood elaborated on her decision to turn the singer down, despite “yes” votes from her fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
“You just hide and watch…Josh has a lot hiding up his sleeve,” she wrote. “That was a motivational ‘no’ from me. Prove me wrong!!!”
Underwood’s other tweets from the evening included praise for contestants’ positive attitude, singing abilities, and song choices.
“Such a great episode of @AmericanIdol tonight,” she tweeted. “I’ve already seen all of these auditions and I’m being blown away for the second time. What a blessing to be a part of it all…again.”
Season 23 of American Idol
After Katy Perry decided to depart American Idol, Underwood signed on to replace the pop star as a judge. Underwood’s debut season as a judge has already been full of can’t-miss moments, and the initial auditions haven’t even wrapped yet.
One stand-out performance came from Filo Ebid. Fans first met the singer on New Year’s Eve when Underwood and Idol host Ryan Seacrest awarded him one of three platinum tickets, which allows him to skip the first round of Hollywood Week.
It wasn’t until months later, however, that fans got to see Ebid’s amazing audition, during which he sang Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness.”
“Born to sing,” Underwood said of Ebid, whose mother wanted him to be a doctor. “You ain’t going to be no doctor. Tell mama she was wrong…no don’t say that. She’s just looking out for you. Three notes in, in my brain, I just thought ‘Holy, Shrek,’ just wow! That was really fantastic.”
American Idol airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.
