Carrie Underwood at Simon Cowell ends her ‘American Idol’ audition

Before she won the fourth season of American Idol, Sold 85 million records, toured the world and won eight Grammy Awards, Carrie Underwood was just a participant in 14887 as she auditions for the show’s fourth season.

The country singer, who brings his expertise to the judges’ table on the upcoming 23rd season of the talent competition, looked back at the time she sang for the panel of Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson in a new video from ABC Reality Series.

The then curly underwood performed “I can’t make you love me” by Bonnie Raitt. Her vocals were an immediate hit with the judges, but she wasn’t sure because Cowell stopped her before she even got through the choir. Watch her audition of about two minutes into the video below.

“Okay, it was very good,” Cowell said in the sudden way he was known for Idol And today, on America’s got talent.

Then Jackson Underwood asked for her favorite singer and she replied that it was Country Star Martina McBride.

“I said to someone the other day,” Cowell said, “‘I am surprised that we haven’t found a good country singer in this competition yet.’ I think you are very good.

It had to be a relief to Underwood that said she had heard that Cowell was not a fan of her favorite genre.

“One of the performing producers at the time was like ‘you know, Simon hates country music, right?’ And I was like, ‘Yes.’ “It had even affected Underwood’s choice of song, she said. “I thought maybe if I sang ‘I can’t make you love me,’ it would still be me and a song that I knew and loved.”

She appreciated that Cowell had also asked her when she heard it, “Continue to be me” rather than dismissing her for her chosen genre.

“I feel like he deserves a lot of credit for it,” she said, “instead of being like,” I don’t like country music. This is not what I want to listen to, “He saw a country artist and the value that country music has.”

The “Blown Away” singer had no idea how she had confidence in audition.

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“I was a baby!” Said underwood.

The artist tore when she read from a diary she held at the young age.

“Obviously, it’s overwhelming,” she said. “But you’re well, kid! You’ll be okay. Just hold on.”

Underwood sits with the judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie when the new season of American Idol Premier on Sunday, March 9 at 1 p.m. 20 ET/PT ON ABC.