When it comes to American Idol success stories, Carrie Underwood is one of the biggest and best. When she joined the popular TV competition in season four, it was clear she was on her way to something incredible – which she proved right by winning the show in 2005 and kicking off a career in the music industry. Carrie's debut single that year, “Inside Your Heaven,” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 the very first day it was released and remains the only country song to ever do so. How’s that for a meteoric rise?

Pre-Idol Carrie

Everyone knows Carrie’s American Idol story, but how much do you know about her life before she was selling out massive arenas? As the youngest of three girls in a working-class family, this all-American country singer grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where she would sing at church and other local events. She was almost signed to Capitol Records at the age of 14, but the deal fell through at the last minute, something Carrie herself says was probably for the best. It gave her a chance to focus on graduating high school and attending college, even as she held on to her dream of becoming a singer.

To Superstardom and Beyond

Of course, in the summer of 2004 everything changed when Carrie decided to audition for American Idol. When her first album Some Hearts hit in late 2005, it sold 315,000 copies its first day, debuting at number 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and earning a number 2 slot on the Billboard 200. And that was only the beginning! Mega-hit after mega-hit followed as Carrie rose to fame among pop and country fans. Today, Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular singers in the world, has made forays into crossover genres, and has famously returned to American Idol… this time as a mentor for new hopefuls. There’s no stopping this Oklahoma girl from reaching new heights, and you, too, can be part of the phenomenon by snatching up some Carrie Underwood tickets.