Carrie Underwood performs 'Alone' on 'American Idol' 20 years after iconic 2005 rendition
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'American Idol' judges discuss working with Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood reflects on how "Idol" is different 20 years later while Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan discuss the judges' decision-making.
Carrie Underwood is giving "American Idol" fans a blast from the past.
The "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer, 42, kicked off the April 27 episode of "American Idol" by delivering a show-stopping performance of the song "Alone," made famous by Heart, just as she did on the show 20 years earlier.
"What an incredible way to kick off the show, with a throwback to an iconic 2005 'Idol' performance," host Ryan Seacrest said, and viewers were hit with a wave of nostalgia.
"I remember watching you sing this 20 years ago my senior year of college!" one fan commented on Underwood's Instagram page. "It made me love that song so much, hearing your repeat of it was even more amazing."
Underwood memorably sang "Alone" on "American Idol" in 2005, delivering what fans consider to be one of the greatest performances in the show's history. At the time, judge Randy Jackson praised it as "one of your best performances yet." Simon Cowell, meanwhile, was even more effusive, predicting, "Not only will you win this show, you will sell more records than any other previous 'Idol' winner."
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In a behind-the-scenes video shared on the "American Idol" YouTube channel, Underwood remembered being worried at the time that the judges would hate her choice of song, given she was known as a country singer.
Reacting to Cowell's comments 20 years later, Underwood also reflected, "What an incredible prediction, from me thinking, 'I'm going to sing this song, oh my gosh, they're probably going to hate it, but I'm going to do it anyway,' and then to get that reaction."
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She added, "On one hand, I think at the time, I thought 'this is amazing,' and then about five seconds later, I thought, 'I have a target on my back now. Everybody's going to hate me.'"
Underwood, who did go on to win "American Idol," also read a journal entry from 2005, where she wrote that she was "really surprised" by Cowell's prediction.
On Instagram, Underwood shared side-by-side photos showing her 2005 and 2025 performances along with the caption, "Then & Now…👀." She also wrote in another post that she "can't believe we brought #Alone back 20 years later last night!"
The singer kept the nostalgia going on the April 28 episode of "American Idol" by wearing the same dress she wore when she won the competition in 2005. "2005 fit check," she said in an Instagram video. "Still fits!"
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