Carrie Underwood recently sat down to chat with The Tennessean’s Beverly Keel about how she has overcome nerves before performing in front of live audiences and on TV.
“Usually before live TV performances are when it’s the worst,” Carrie told Keel. “About halfway through the song, those go away. There’s a lot of adrenaline going through my body. Sometimes my left leg will shake uncontrollably if I am really nervous. It feels like it’s bigger than it really is. When I watch it back, I’m like ‘Aw, you can barely see it.’”
Carrie also told The Tennessean that she would watch others in the industry perform and see how they handle things and that talking to the crowd was one of her biggest challenges. She is quoted as saying:
“How do you have a conversation with several thousand people? I think I’m a lot better now and a lot more comfortable onstage,” said Underwood. “Just accepting the fact that those people are there to see me has helped.”
The only time that I have personally seen Carrie live is at the CMA Music Festival and she didn’t have to do much talking. I have heard from many others though that she it does show when she is talking to the audience at a concert. When she toured with Keith Urban last year I was told that she sounded very scripted and was not very personable on stage. You would think for a girl who won the biggest talent contest on TV that it would have been overcome long before she hit the big stage as a big country star.
The good thing about this is that she is aware of the lack of confidence and has done something to make herself better. That is a sign of a someone who truly wants to be good at what she does. And there is no one that can say that this girl can’t sing. Her vocals are amazing.
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Your sources are wrong. Carrie may have seen stiff in the pass and seemed nervous, but she is very poised and appears to be very confident on stage. Perhaps you should check out her recent youtube videos. She talks freely on the stage and her reviews from the towns she has visited are excellent. The reviewers often priase her stage presence. Just a reality check to those who don’t go to her concerts.
I’ve seen her concert just this past fall…She sings amazing! But her crowd interaction isn’t up to par. She says the same things show after show and it sounds like she’s reading off a teleprompter. I was not impressed. She has gotten A LOT better, but there is still a long way to go.
I agree with you Twany . you don’t get much crowd interaction on American Idol. Glad to see she knows where her no-so-strong points are, because she really can sing.
And Country Fan, there are reviewers who don’t think so highly of her concerts. like the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ( the first result under google news). Just a reality check to those people who don’t read up on what people are saying. and if you read, say three of them, they all describe the same concert formula. she starts with “flat on the floor” cover GNR (usually “paradise city”) and bring a pre-picked little girl onstage for All american girl. there is a self-serving and almost arrogant video package of her and every single freakin’ award, talk show and mag cover she’s been on. costume changes galore. I went to a CU/keith Urban concert and wasn’t impressed with her presence that much, and then there was that video…didn’t need that. The real reality check: she’s not perfect, neither are her concerts.
She’s gotten better, but she still has a long way to go.
I’ve seen Carrie in concert and enjoyed it very much. She only started the video on the second half of this year, so you didn’t see the video when she was touring with Keith Urban.
I was thinking the same thing todayonly. Carrie didn’t have the video montage during her co-headlining tour with Keith. We’ve seen her five times now and to say she doesn’t have a stage presence and has no interaction with her fans is simply not correct. Her montage is for her FANS not some pop writer covering a Country show. Her fans have been on this ride with her and totally enjoy the montage. I know I did. Her fans are the reason she is where she is and that montage is her giving recognition to them. Period!
I just did a “reality check” of my own and read the first 20 reviews I could find. 2 were negative. That leaves 18 that were not only positive but quite a few that were actually glowing. The 2 were written by pop beat writers and were critical that Carrie wasn’t behaving like a diva as they expect. Or should I say demand? Heh!
Oh well, guess that’s what makes us fans eh? I’ll spend the money anytime Carrie is within driving distance to see her. I really enjoy her shows. And what can you say about Little Big Town as an opening act? With Carrie giving LBT total access to all of her stage production? So selfish and self-centered huh? Yeah, my “reality” is a bit different than others I reckon!
Is Carrie perfect? Of course not and she’d be the first to tell you. Interaction with her fans is no longer a weakness now though!
SERIOUSLY…..AFTER ONLY 4 YRS OF PEOPLE KNOWING HER NAME AND THEY GIVE HER
THE ‘ENT OF THE YR’ AWARD…..GOES TO SHOW YOU HOW GREAT MARKETING CAN WORK FOR YOU…ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF FUNDS! YES, SHE CAN SING…BUT ENTERTAIN? I MISS THAT PART EVERYTIME….MAYBE IT’S WHEN I BLINK!! THIS AWARD IS THE MOST COVETED BY ANY ARTIST…..AREN’T YOU SUPPOSED TO HAVE ATLEAST PAID YOUR DUES SOMEWHERE IN ORDER TO GET IT?? BIG FREAKING DEAL, SHE WAS IN A CONTEST! WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER ARTISTS WHO STRUGGLED FOR YEARS BEFORE EVER LANDING A PUBLISHING DEAL!! NO, I THINK THIS IS A BUNCH OF ‘BS!” IT TAKES AWAY THE DIGNITY OF ‘HAVING TO WORK FOR YOUR FAME!” I AM IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY & I THINK THIS TOTAL MAKES US ALL LOOK LIKE ‘SELL OUTS!” FOLLOW THE CROWD…AND ALL THAT!!I AM ENTIRELY DISAPPOINTED….NOT JUST FOR ME…BUT ‘REAL ARTISTS’ WHO ROAD-DOG THEMSELVES TO DEATH….(LIKE RASCAL FLATTS WHO WERE NOT EVEN IN THE CATEGORY) AND PEOPLE LIKE GEORGE STRAIT WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS ALL OF THEIR LIVES! THIS SUCKS!!!