The first experiences are always the hardest, and the first time Carrie Underwood had to go on stage and perform in front of a live audience was also the most terrifying thing she had to face in life.
During an interview with Parade, Underwood said that even though being a contestant of "American Idol" had been the "coolest thing ever," she was also very frightened back then.
"'Idol' was probably the most horrifying thing, because I had never been away from my hometown like that before," she said. "I was in L.A., of all places, by myself, putting myself out there, which is a scary thing for anybody to do. My first plane ride was when I was going out to L.A. alone."
Underwood feels grateful that she braved her fears and finished "American Idol," since now she has a flourishing singing career with a fifth studio album called Storyteller set to be released on November 23.
The singer is very selective about her music, and she makes sure that it's something she herself would like to hear on the radio. "I test out songs to know how much I like them or if they're the right fit, by getting in my car," she said. "I want to get in my car and hear things, and hear things back-to-back."
This year, Underwood also embraced pregnancy and motherhood. At first, Underwood was very worried how she will become a mother, but when she finally held her son Isaiah Michael Fisher, things just fell into place.
"I remember talking to Mike when I was really pregnant. 'Can I do this? Will I have that instinct?' He was always very reassuring," the singer said of her husband Mike Fisher. "But I guess that is a huge fear until you are actually holding your child in your arms and you're like, 'Wow, I just met you yesterday, but I would do anything for you.' I feel like we learned, at the end of the day, we aren't going to break him."
Underwood wants to reassure her fans that nothing has changed with regards to her music even though she is now a mother. Sure, some of her songs are inspired by her husband and son, but ultimately, the music maintains the same heart.
"Ever since being pregnant and having Isaiah, the No. 1 question I get is, 'How has he changed your writing or your song choices or your musical tastes?' I am still me. I still have the same voice and I still like the same music I liked before," she confirmed. "I didn't lose any edge, I just gained another dimension."
