Carrie Underwood Wipes Away Tears and Says She’s ‘Not OK’ in New ‘American Idol’ Trailer

American Idol season 23 is already gearing up to be quite emotional for new judge Carrie Underwood. The “Blown Away” singer broke down in tears while listening to a contestant’s story in a new trailer released ahead of the show’s premiere.

The trailer, which was released on YouTube on Thursday, February 13, highlighted some of the contestants who auditioned for the reality competition series this time around. One audition seemed to hit an emotional nerve for Carrie, 41, and she didn’t hold back from being vulnerable.

“Tell us a little about your family,” she told one contestant in the audition room. Fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan sat beside her at the judges table as they got to know the singer.

“My grandparents raised me from the moment I turned 2,” the contestant told the judges.

“She put everything she had in me all these years,” he said in another clip as his family joined him in the audition room and hugged him.

The camera then cut to Carrie, who wiped a tear from her eye. She grabbed a tissue and put it up to her nose as the tears continued to flow. “You OK over there?” Luke, 48, asked while putting his arm around her in a comforting manner.

He and Lionel, 75, both hugged Carrie before she said “I’m not” in response to Luke’s question.

When it was time to deliver the news to the contestant about whether or not he made it through to the Hollywood round, the judges had nothing but positive things to say.

“You need to be heard,” Lionel told the singer.

“You’re going to Hollywood!” the judges all said in unison moments later. Needless to say, the contestant was very happy about the outcome and fans of the show cannot wait to hear his audition and learn more about him.

Elsewhere in the trailer, other contestants voiced their hopes of becoming the next American Idol winner. “I’ve wanted this since I was a little kid,” one singer said.

“I’m ready for my life to change,” another singer remarked.

A montage played of several contestant getting emotional and others greeting their family and supporters after getting golden tickets to Hollywood.

This will be Carrie’s first season on the judging panel, two decades after she won the show’s fourth season. Kelly Clarkson, winner of American Idol season 1 and one of the show’s most successful contestants ever, showed support for Carrie after she landed a seat at the judging panel next to Luke and Lionel following Katy Perry‘s departure from the program.

“I think that’s brilliant,” Kelly, 42, told E! News in September 2024. “Like, what better person to have — somebody that’s won that show to come back.”

“That’s invaluable,” Kelly said about the firsthand advice Carrie can offer to the contestants on the show. “To have somebody to look at and go, ‘OK, they’ve done it and they’re sitting right there. So, that means I am capable of doing it. I can dream that big.’”

American Idol season 23 will premiere on Sunday, March 9, on ABC at 8 p.m. ET and will stream the next day on Hulu. A special preview of the season will air on Sunday, March 2, after the 97th Academy Awards.