AMERICAN IDOL – ABC’s “American Idol” stars Carrie Underwood. (Disney/Gizelle Hernandez)
Carrie Underwood Was Told Simon Cowell “Hates Country Music”
If you remember Carrie Underwood’s run on “American Idol” 21 years ago, you’ll recall that she didn’t initially come across as a country singer.
Her earliest song choices were “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt and “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton, and there’s a reason for that.
She was told that Simon Cowell HATED country music.
“One of the executive producers [said] it would kind of still be me and a song that I knew and loved.”
To Simon’s credit, Carrie revealed that she was a country girl during her first audition, and he encouraged her to be herself.
Carrie just made her debut as an “American Idol” judge on the 23rd season premiere.
