2S. No One Saw This Coming: Carrie Underwood Jumps on Stage With an American Idol Contestant
It started like any other audition day, but nobody in that room was ready for what came next. During the March 2025 American Idol auditions, 18-year-old metal fan Insite stepped up with Korn’s “Freak on a Leash.” The energy was wild, the growl in his voice sharp and even guest judge Carrie Underwood was caught mouthing the words from her seat. Then came the surprise that turned the room into chaos, Carrie herself stood up, ready to rock.
What happened next felt like watching two worlds crash together in the best way possible. When fellow judge Luke Bryan questioned Insite’s song choice, Carrie leaned forward and asked if he had something “softer.” His answer? Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.” Without a second thought, Carrie left her chair, walked to the floor, and joined him in the heavy breakdown. Her voice, known for country ballads, hit those deep, gritty lines like she had been born in a metal band.
Carrie Underwood Joins American Idol Contestant in Singing Drowning Pool’s “Bodies”
Fans could not get enough. One viewer wrote that it was “the Carrie we never knew we needed.” Another joked that “Heavy Metal Carrie” just unlocked a new level of cool. People were amazed by her headbanging, her power, and how free she looked. “Let the bodies hit the floor,” they screamed right along with her. That moment did not just trend, it lived rent-free in everyone’s minds.
Carrie’s wild duet showed a fearless side of her, but this was not her first time turning heads on Idol. Years before, a young woman in a pink top and soft curls stood nervously before the judges. She was from a small farm, shy but hopeful. She said she loved animals and had never even been on a plane before. That girl dreamed of making it to Hollywood, and her name was Carrie Underwood.
Carrie Underwood’s Original American Idol Audition – “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
When she sang “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” the room went still. Her voice was pure and calm with each note steady but full of heart. Randy Jackson called it “very good.” Simon Cowell said she had a “great voice”. Paula Abdul smiled wide knowing they had just met someone special. And when Simon said “Welcome to Hollywood, girl” Carrie’s eyes filled with the kind of joy that makes your chest warm. Fans looking back now can see the full circle, how that soft-spoken farm girl grew into the powerhouse who could scream Drowning Pool beside a teenager.
Carrie Underwood is the kind of artist who never stops surprising people. She can sing heartbreak or hard rock and still sound completely herself. Her courage to step into something unexpected reminds us why we love her. Whether it is country or metal, she gives it her all every time. Follow Carrie Underwood on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and maybe, just maybe, you will catch her rocking out again.
💥 BREAKING NEWS: Zach Top Unleashed Pure Country Energy at Nashville’s Big Bash, Turning the New Year’s Eve Crowd into a Rowdy Sea of Celebration and Cheers ⚡ WN
Zach Top is ringing in the new year in Nashville! The country singer took the stage at Music City Bar and Grill as part of New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.
Top got the crowd in a festive mood as he performed “I Never Lie”, delighting both the live audience and those watching at home.
Top is just one of many people performing during the five-hour-long CBS special.
Headliners Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman will take the stage at Bicentennial Park, where they’ll be joined by CeCe Winans and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.
Meanwhile, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and Stephen Wilson Jr. will perform at various venues across Music City.
Additionally, Dwight Yoakam and Marcus King will take the stage at Category 10, home of the official New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash watch party, with special guests Cody Alan and Caylee Hammack.
Bert Kreischer and Hardy are hosting the special, which will include appearances by comedian Dusty Slay, Entertainment Tonight‘s Cassie DiLaura, Sirius XM host Buzz Brainard, and UFC champion Kayla Harrison.
Zach Top’s Big Year
After the success of 2024’s Cold Beer & Country Music, Top kept the hits coming in 2025 with Ain’t In It For My Health.
The New Male Artist of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards, Top spent lots of time on the road in 2025. He opened up for Dierks Bentley and Lainey Wilson before setting out on a series of headlining shows.
He’ll continue the Cold Beer & Country Music Tour in 2026, when he brings the show to Europe.
“My favorite part of the job is playing live shows every night,” Top told Grammy.com. “The fact that more and more people want to keep coming out and seeing us is a really cool feeling.”
Of touring, Top added, “You have an intimate connection with a song if you write it — it starts as a little baby idea, you watch it grow up, and then you put it out into the world. When the crowd loves it just as much as you do, it’s a very cool full-circle moment. It definitely makes me feel something every night.”
