Carrie Underwood will have some emotional moments during her return to American Idol.
Her Season 4 win launched her into a successful singing career, featuring numerous awards and accolades.
While she’s previously been part of the show as a mentor to inspire undiscovered talents, starting in Season 23, she’ll be one of the judges.
A recent preview revealed that the singer broke down in tears while seated with fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie at the table.
“Are you okay?” Luke asked her, trying to comfort his friend and fellow judge.
“No, I’m not. I’m not okay,” Carrie admitted as she wiped away tears with a tissue.
Carrie broke down in tears during Carter Nalley’s tribute song
With Season 23 coming soon, American Idol shared a sneak peek video with fans featuring an emotional moment.
In the video, high school English teacher Mrs. Davis enters the audition room to speak to the three judges, informing them about her “special student,” Slater Nalley, who wrote a song for her son, Carter, who was killed eight years ago.
She explained that Slater transformed his poem into a song he would perform for the Idol judges. He walked into the room with his guitar and introduced himself as a 17-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia.
He said he was “grateful” for Mrs. Davis and glad he could offer something that “helps so much.” His song, Traces of You, was a tribute to her son, Carter.
“It was probably one of the most deep things I’ve ever written about,” he told the judges.
“I’m just happy to be here and perform it and at least put a little bit of joy in a dark place,” Slater said before beginning his moving performance.
“In the dark night, you always found the sun. One look at you and I’d just come undone,” he sang.
“Now you visit me in shadows I can’t reach, and I can’t run. In the dark night, you always found the sun,” Slater sang in part of his tribute song.
“I’d give anything to love to be enough to make it true. As the memories come racing in of you with these traces of you,” he sang as the camera caught Carrie with a tear running down her cheek.
In another scene, Carrie wipes tears from her eyes. Additional camera shots reveal the other judges and his teacher caught up in Slater’s emotional performance.
After he finishes his song, Carrie uses tissues, and Luke checks on her.
“Even though this was about [Carter], every single person that hears that can fill in that memory with somebody that’s in themselves. I couldn’t have imagined you doing that any better,” she told Slater.
Carrie ‘spilled lots of tears’ in her Season 23 return
An insider said Carrie’s Season 23 was “very emotional” for her in her extended gig as one of the show’s judges.
The insider shared, “it didn’t really hit her until she saw Ryan mingling with the contestants getting ready to audition because that was her, that was Carrie not too long ago and now she’s on the other side of the desk.”
That inside source also indicated she “spilled lots of tears,” so there will likely be other moments caught on camera that viewers will witness.
Twenty years ago, Carrie displayed her talents to the world on the television singing competition show and will now look to help other singers looking to succeed.
Viewers will see an American Idol Season 23 special episode after the Academy Awards ceremony on ABC on Sunday, March 2. The show’s official premiere is scheduled for Sunday, March 9.
American Idol Season 23 premieres Sunday, March 9, at 8/7c on ABC.