American Idol fans got their first real glimpse of Carrie Underwood as Katy Perry’s replacement during the American Idol audition special that aired on the 2025 TV schedule after the Academy Award winners were announced Sunday night,

The "Before He Cheats" singer is taking over for Katy Perry, who revealed she was leaving the show to focus on music. Underwood, an "American Idol" alum, returns to the show about 20 years after she won the competitive singing competition.

Carrie Underwood has been, well, busy since winning Season 4 of American Idol in 2005. Since the confetti fell, the country singer has released nine albums and embarked on seven tours. She's also tried her hand at acting and launched a handful of businesses.