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Renowned for her triumph on American Idol and her current role as a mentor, Carrie Underwood has never shied away from expressing how pivotal faith is in her life. Raised in Oklahoma, she was a regular at church, and her Christian beliefs have remained a steadfast part of her identity, even as she acknowledges the challenge of prioritizing them within the entertainment sphere. Recently, she shared insights on why singing about faith has grown increasingly significant for her.
Carrie Underwood performed ‘How Great Thou Art’ on ‘American Idol’s ‘Songs of Faith’ night
The 2026 “Songs of Faith” night on American Idol made a memorable impression by emphasizing spirituality during its debut live show of the 24th season. Coinciding with the Easter period, the episode saw the Top 14 contestants performing tracks infused with faith and gospel influences. Judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie embraced the theme wholeheartedly, kicking off the show with a collaborative rendition of “Jesus Is Love.” To conclude the evening, Underwood delivered a stirring performance of “How Great Thou Art.”
In a conversation with The Christian Post following the “Songs of Faith” night, Underwood emphasized that achieving success in the entertainment industry doesn’t require compromising one’s beliefs.
“You must remain steadfast in your faith and remember who brought you to this point, because it wasn’t solely your doing,” she elaborated.
Underwood expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to openly celebrate and share worship with a global audience during the special episode. “What’s not to love about this night?” she remarked. “I deeply admire ABC and American Idol for boldly embracing this theme, as it’s no small feat. The entertainment world, by and large, presents its challenges.”
Underwood noted that she loved how everyone could “be joyful” and embrace worship in front of the world with the special episode. “I mean, what’s not to love [about this night]?” she continued. “I respect ABC and American Idol so much for being bold in this theme, because it’s not easy. I feel like in the world of entertainment in general … it’s not easy.”
Underwood added that “Songs of Faith” didn’t necessarily mean songs about Jesus. “It’s kind of like you could take that and sing something inspirational that means something to you,” she explained.
The country star previously opened up about the difficulties of bringing religion into the entertainment industry
Carrie Underwood has touched on the difficulties of bringing faith and worship into the entertainment industry in the past. In April 2025, American Idol contestants Breanna Nix and Rylie O’Neill performed a cover of Christian worship singer Brandon Lake’s song “Gratitude.” The performance moved Underwood, causing her to hold back tears.
“I know how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you,” she explained, according to USA Today. “It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of outside forces that are going to tell you not to do that. I want to tell you that I’m proud of you guys.”
For Underwood and her husband, Mike Fisher, prayer is “such a normal part” of their home life. They explained more about their faith and relationship with Jesus in their four-part digital series, Mike and Carrie: God & Country, according to Movieguide.
“We have an open dialogue about God,” Underwood explained, noting that their kids, Isaiah and Jacob, also embrace it.
“He [Isaiah] just says things like, ‘Did you know I have to love God even more than you, Mommy? I love God so much,’” she explained.
Fisher noted that when someone previously asked him what his greatest fear was, it was having children who didn’t have a “real relationship” with Jesus. “I want my sons to see me and be like, ‘This is real, this isn’t just what he’s saying … this is not an informed faith, this is like a transformed faith, and my dad is different.’”