Country music superstar Carrie Underwood makes big full-circle announcement

Country music superstar Carrie Underwood is going back to where it all began.

You may know Underwood for her many country hits and her “Sunday Night Football” performance, but none of that would be possible if it wasn’t for “American Idol.”

In 2005, with her curly blonde hair, week after week, Underwood blew the judges and the audience away with her vocals. To this day, Underwood and Kelly Clarkson are known as the most successful artists to come out of the long-running competition show.

Now, Underwood is taking her career full circle and returning to “American Idol” as a judge in 2025.

On Instagram, Underwood shared a video of her start, her accomplishments, and her decision to go back to “Idol.”

“I went from nobody knowing my name to tens of millions of people watching the show,” Underwood wrote. “I’m proud of everything I was able to accomplish on the show and I’m so proud of everything I’ve accomplished since.”

According to Today, Underwood will be joining Lionel Richie and fellow country star Luke Bryan as judges, replacing Katy Perry.

Fans were thrilled with the announcement. “The absolute best option for the next judge — haven’t watched in years and now I’ll definitely be watching again,” one comment read.

“I’m so excited to see this season best is yet to come,” another fan wrote. “I’M SO EMOTIONAL.”