A historic trip is in the books for Carrie Underwood. The Oklahoma native just returned from Hawaii, where she performed two concerts at Blaisdell Arena in Honolul, marking the first time she ever performed in the island state. Underwood originally planned on doing one show, but added a second one after the first concert sold out in an hour.
“We’ve had such an absolutely unbelievable, incredible time here in Hawaii,” Underwood says in a video posted on social media, sharing highlights from the trip. “We had this incredible luau in the most gorgeous setting where we were looking out over all of Honolulu. There was this absolutely just super fun, humbling presentation that they had for me here, where it was Carrie Underwood Day. Everybody was so nice and so wonderful.”
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Prior to her first show on July 19, Mayor Rick Blangiardi revealed the 41-year-old was being honored with a special commendation.
“We thank her for bringing her live shows to Hawaii, and fulfilling the dreams of thousands of fans, who have eagerly awaited this opportunity,” Blangiardi said, declaring July 18 Carrie Underwood Day.
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Underwood performed several of her hits during her two nights in Hawaii, including “Blown Away,” “Before He Cheats,” “All-American Girl,” and more. She also performed “Jesus, Take the Wheel,” a song that has been a staple at her live shows ever since she began touring, soon after winning American Idol.
“I remember hearing ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel’ very early on in my career. Literally, on tour with American Idol, and just being drawn to the song immediately,” Underwood recalls to CMT. “It just made me want to cry in the best way, and I knew I had to sing it, but I honestly think the song kind of picked me.”
“Jesus, Take the Wheel” was released in 2005, but it still means as much to Underwood, and her fans, as it did 19 years ago.
“I always hear stories about ‘Jesus, Take the Wheel,’” Underwood says. “A lot of it is how the song showed up for somebody at just the right time, having a difficult moment in their life, or period in their life, and turn on the radio and there it was. I feel like that’s what great songs and great music is about, is knowing what to say when people might not. I know that that song’s been there for me … I’m really glad that it could be there for other people as well.”
Underwood also performs “Jesus, Take The Wheel” during her REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World Theatre, which she extended into 2024, due to fan demand. The success of the residency Underwood believes is, at least in part, due to her being inspired by her own musical heroes, including Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire,
“Sharing a legacy of putting on proper shows that, like Dolly’s and Reba’s, are extra — meaning filled with more of the glitz, glamour, extravagant wardrobe and staging that’s a part of our lives already — and tell a full, emotion and vibe-driven story with a beginning, middle and end,” Underwood previously told The Tennessean. “I’m not just showing up and singing. Instead, I’m immersing the audience in song.”
Underwood will also perform as part of the star-studded tribute concert, Toby Keith: American Icon, honoring Toby Keith, along with Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, The War And Treaty and more. The show will take place on July 29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It will also be part of a two-hour NBC special, which will air on August 28 at 9:00 PM ET.
All of Underwood’s music and upcoming shows can be found at CarrieUnderwoodOfficial.com.
Photo Credit: Jeff Johnson