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Carrie Underwood is known as a past American Idol winner and a coach today. And she’s remained vocal about how faith is an incredibly important aspect of her life. Underwood grew up attending church in Oklahoma. And she’s held strong to her Christian values despite admitting that it’s not always easy to keep them at the forefront of conversation in the entertainment industry. Here’s what she recently said about why singing about faith is more important to her than ever.

Carrie Underwood performed ‘How Great Thou Art’ on ‘American Idol’s ‘Songs of Faith’ night

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American Idol’s 2026 “Songs of Faith” night stood out for bringing a spiritual focus to the competition during its first live show of season 24. Timed for the Easter season, the episode featured the Top 14 contestants performing faith-centered and gospel-inspired songs. Judges Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie also took part in the theme. They opened the show with a group performance of “Jesus Is Love.” Underwood delivered a powerful rendition of “How Great Thou Art” to close the night.

After the “Songs of Faith” night, Underwood told The Christian Post that it’s not necessary to “sell your soul to make it in the entertainment industry.”

“You are going to have to stand strong in your faith and remember who got you here, because it wasn’t you,” she continued.

Underwood noted that she loved how everyone could “be joyful” and embrace worship in front of the world with the special episode. “I mean, what’s not to love [about this night]?” she continued. “I respect ABC and American Idol so much for being bold in this theme, because it’s not easy. I feel like in the world of entertainment in general … it’s not easy.”

Underwood added that “Songs of Faith” didn’t necessarily mean songs about Jesus. “It’s kind of like you could take that and sing something inspirational that means something to you,” she explained.

The country star previously opened up about the difficulties of bringing religion into the entertainment industry

Carrie Underwood has touched on the difficulties of bringing faith and worship into the entertainment industry in the past. In April 2025, American Idol contestants Breanna Nix and Rylie O’Neill performed a cover of Christian worship singer Brandon Lake’s song “Gratitude.” The performance moved Underwood, causing her to hold back tears.

“I know how difficult it is to come into the entertainment industry and bring your faith with you,” she explained, according to USA Today. “It is a brave thing to do because there are a lot of outside forces that are going to tell you not to do that. I want to tell you that I’m proud of you guys.”

For Underwood and her husband, Mike Fisher, prayer is “such a normal part” of their home life. They explained more about their faith and relationship with Jesus in their four-part digital series, Mike and Carrie: God & Country, according to Movieguide.

“We have an open dialogue about God,” Underwood explained, noting that their kids, Isaiah and Jacob, also embrace it.

“He [Isaiah] just says things like, ‘Did you know I have to love God even more than you, Mommy? I love God so much,'” she explained.

Fisher noted that when someone previously asked him what his greatest fear was, it was having children who didn’t have a “real relationship” with Jesus. “I want my sons to see me and be like, ‘This is real, this isn’t just what he’s saying … this is not an informed faith, this is like a transformed faith, and my dad is different.'”

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