For months, every American Idol fan waited for the new season to see Carrie Underwood return to the show as a judge. Taking over for Katy Perry, Underwood sat beside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan to meet a new group of aspiring artists. Wanting to help them achieve their dreams, Underwood felt right at home when giving suggestions and feedback. But given her history with American Idol, it didn’t take long before she found herself on the other side of the table, giving some backup to contestant Kobyn Melton, who decided to perform Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.”

Going by the stage name Insite, Melton found the judges a little hesitant after he opened with Korn’s “Freak on a Leash.” Not knowing if his tone would fit in American Idol, he decided to give them another sample. And this time, Underwood offered him the support he needed when she joined in. Embracing the rocker lifestyle, if only for a moment, Underwood showcased her head-banging skills. Afterward, she joked, “Woo! You got a good hype girl. That was high school for me…. I’ve even crowd surfed, people, okay.”

Fans Loving Carrie Underwood On ‘American Idol’

Having fun with the performance, fans loved watching Underwood jump in to help Melton. “See, this is the type of stuff that would bring me back to American Idol. I want to see stuff like this make it through. Dude is going to give Alice in Chains and Kurt Cobain vibes.” Another fan added, “Honestly, told my wife last night I have a new respect for miss ‘cry pretty.’ She is a treasure and I needed this.”

While receiving praise from fans, Melton still waited to hear his fate. After sharing a special moment, the judges deliberated on the idea of allowing the signer to move forward. And in the end, his performance of “Bodies” was more than enough to win over fans and the judges as he received a “yes” from all three.

With a long road ahead of them, season 23 of American Idol is already gaining support as Underwood appeared to offer a breath of fresh air into the show that first aired back in 2002.