American Idol’s Carrie Underwood does not believe she is too harsh as a judge on the show she won 20 years ago.
Underwood, 42, responded to the critics in an interview with Sirius XM’s The Highway on Wednesday, September 24, defending her feedback as constructive.
“Sometimes I get in trouble from people like, ‘How dare she say that it wasn’t perfect?’” she said. “And I’m like, I just want everybody to learn and that’s part of it. And nobody wants to just hear that they’re amazing all the time.”
She then conceded that “maybe some people do,” but that only hearing positive feedback is “not going to get you anywhere.”
“We just want everybody to be able to grow and get better,” she added, “and be the most awesome version of themselves that they could be.”
Being a judge, she said, has come with its own set of challenges, including being open and authentically herself on camera.
“I’m not great at that, am I?” she said. “In general, I feel like I’m such a private person.”
Underwood did, however, say she has improved over time.
“I’m slightly better than I used to be,” she added. “But I’ve just never been great at putting down the walls and feeling like I could be myself.”
Underwood won season 4 of American Idol in 2005, competing alongside the likes of Constantine Maroulis and runner-up Bo Bice. She released her debut album, Some Hearts, later that year, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums list.
The eight-time Grammy Award winner returned to the show where she got her start to be a judge for season 23 in 2025, replacing Katy Perry. Even before filming began, Underwood said she expected to be constructive but kind with her criticism.
“I think I can be honest and constructive, but still kind,” Underwood, 41, told radio personality Buzz Brainard in 2024. “And I think that’s the whole point, because people are coming in and it’s dreams. You’re part of somebody’s story from that moment on.”
Underwood credited her rise to fame to American Idol in a video announcing her return to the franchise last August.
“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” she said. “I’m proud of everything that I was able to accomplish on the show and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since.”
American Idol season 24 will premiere on ABC in January 2026. Underwood is expected to return along with fellow judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest.
