Carrie Underwood’s first season as an American Idol judge is off to an emotional start.
During a special preview episode of the ABC singing competition, which aired after the 2025 Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, Underwood, 41, got her first glimpse of the talented musicians hoping to make it big on season 23. Two decades after receiving her own golden ticket to Hollywood on season 4, Underwood joined Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie behind the judges’ table in New York City, Nashville and beyond.
One Idol hopeful in particular — 28-year-old Thunderstorm Artis — left a big impression on Underwood in Music City. Artis took the judges by surprise with an original song titled “Don’t Let Me Let You Go,” which he performed while strumming an acoustic guitar.
“It’s about mine and my wife’s journey, and just about the hardship of a relationship as well,” he explained. “Especially in the times where it feels like you might be pulling away at times, and it’s important for the other person to be that anchor for you.”
As soon as Artis began, Underwood turned to Richie, 75, with a smile. She appeared mesmerized by Artis’ heartfelt lyrics, quickly rising out of her chair to give him a standing ovation.
“Wow, ‘I don’t want to lose you to find me,’” she said, quoting Arits’ chorus. “That’s a great line.”
Underwood raved over Artis’ “soulful” and “sweet” vocals before sharing how she connected to the song on a personal level. “It was beautiful, it’s relatable. We’ve all been there,” she continued. “I’ve been married 14 years. ‘Don’t let me let you go,’ like, it’s beautiful. Well done.”
Following more positive feedback from Richie and Bryan, 48, Artis easily earned a ticket to Hollywood.
Underwood married hockey player Mike Fisher in 2010, welcoming sons Isaiah and Jacob in February 2015 and January 2019, respectively. The couple have been candid about facing ups and downs in their relationship through the years, but a source exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2023 that the duo were “stronger than ever.”
“Carrie doesn’t know what she’d do without the support from her husband. She feels so blessed to have him by her side,” the insider added at the time.
News broke in August 2024 that Underwood would be returning to Idol — the same show that gave the country singer her big break with her 2005 win — to replace outgoing judge Katy Perry. “This is a full-circle moment both for the show and audiences at home who have been tuning in for over two decades. Welcome home, Carrie,” Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, noted in a statement at the time.
During Sunday’s special, Underwood acknowledged that the singing competition “changed my life,” adding, “Now, I have the privilege of helping a new generation of artists change theirs.”
American Idol season 23 officially premieres on ABC Sunday, March 9, at 8 p.m. ET.
