Carrie Underwood was visibly moved during a powerful American Idol audition that struck close to home.
During the Monday, February 2 episode, Underwood joined fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan in listening to Season 24 hopeful Hannah Harper perform her original song, “String Cheese.” Before singing, Harper explained that the song was inspired by her personal experience with postpartum depression—a revelation that immediately set an emotional tone in the room.
As Harper performed, her raw honesty resonated deeply with Underwood, 42, who shares sons Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 7, with her husband, former NHL player Mike Fisher.
“That’s about the most relatable song I think I’ve ever heard,” Underwood said through tears. “You might be my favorite person that’s walked through those doors.”
She continued, “You’re one that I’m going to think about when we leave here. I’m going to be rooting for you. I loved everything about everything you just did.”
Richie and Bryan echoed the praise, and all three judges unanimously voted to send Harper through to the next round.
The lyrics of “String Cheese” paint a vivid picture of motherhood’s beautiful chaos, including lines like: “Hot Wheels and little people under my feet / Babies crying, it’s pure chaos, but I don’t miss a beat.” Harper, a mother of three, told the judges the song came together after an especially overwhelming moment at home.
“I was sitting on my couch wallowing,” she shared. “Everybody wants to touch you. I didn’t want to be touched. I was just having a pity party, praying that the Lord would calm my spirit.”
She recalled how her son repeatedly asked for help opening his string cheese. “I finally thought, ‘Leave me alone with the dadgum cheese,’” she joked. But that moment sparked a deeper realization.
“Once I opened it, I realized God had put me right where I was supposed to be,” Harper said. “Where I was in my house was the biggest ministry I could ever have.”
The moment resonated strongly with Underwood, who has previously spoken openly about the challenges of motherhood. In a 2016 interview, she admitted learning to accept help while balancing life as a working mom. In later years, she also shared candid reflections about body image and self-compassion after childbirth.
Ultimately, Harper’s audition wasn’t just a song—it was a moment of shared understanding, vulnerability, and hope that left both the judges and viewers deeply moved.