For the eighth season of American Idol, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie returned as judges, while Carrie Underwood joined for her second season—remarkable considering she won the show herself in 2005.
In a recent interview, Carrie discussed whether performing an original song gives contestants an advantage over covers, which have traditionally been the safer choice during auditions. While originals can help singers stand out, they also present a challenge: judges must evaluate both the song and the performer at the same time. With seasoned artists like Richie, Bryan, and Underwood on the panel, the bar for original material is high.
Carrie explained that she usually prefers a strong cover early in the competition, because unfamiliar songs make it harder to focus solely on the singer’s voice. She compared it to attending a concert where an artist performs only unreleased songs:
“It’s kind of hard to listen to a lot of originals, because you’re not just judging their voice, you’re also trying to figure out the song. So your brain’s not really getting to focus on their voice after like the bazillionth original song that we’ve listened to. I feel like I’m at a concert where I paid to see an artist I love, and they’re doing their entire new album and none of their hits. The best thing to me on American Idol is when someone nails a song I know and love—it makes me want to vote for them even more.”
Her perspective highlights how demanding auditions can be, with judges hearing countless performances in a short time. A familiar, well-executed cover often leaves the strongest immediate impression.
However, there are exceptions. This season, 25-year-old Hannah Harper made a memorable impact with an original song called “String Cheese.” Inspired by her experience with postpartum depression after having three children, Hannah explained that the song stemmed from a simple moment when her son asked her to open a piece of string cheese—and she realized she was exactly where she was meant to be as a mother.
Carrie, a mother of two, connected deeply with the message. She was visibly emotional, moved to tears as Hannah performed. This heartfelt moment proved that, in rare cases, a personal original song can resonate powerfully, leaving a lasting impression on both judges and viewers.
