Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country (country music) singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season (American Idol (season 4)) of American Idol. Underwood has since become a multi-platinum selling (Music recording sales certification#List of international sales certification thresholds) recording artist, a multiple Grammy Award winner, was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, is a three-time Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Female Vocalist winner, and the current ACM Entertainer of the Year. She is the first ever female artist to win back-to-back Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards for Entertainer of the Year (2009/2010).

Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified seven times platinum, and as of February 2006, was the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history. It was also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history, as of February 2008. Some Hearts yielded three number one hits on the country charts in the United States (United States of America): "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Wasted (Wasted (Carrie Underwood song))" and "Before He Cheats", her biggest hit to date. She also released the song she sung on the American Idol final round, "Inside Your Heaven", which gave Underwood her first Billboard Hot 100 number one. Some Hearts was recently titled the Top Country Album of the Decade.

Her second album, Carnival Ride, was released on October 23, 2007. It has sold over 3 million copies as of January 2008, and produced five number one country hits, "So Small", "All-American Girl (All-American Girl (song))", "Last Name", "Just a Dream" and "I Told You So".

Underwood released her third album, Play On (Play On (Carrie Underwood album)), on November 3, 2009. Her first single off the album, "Cowboy Casanova", was released to country radio on September 14, 2009. The single peaked at number one on the country charts, which made Underwood the artist with the most top 10s on the country chart among solo women of the decade, followed by Faith Hill and Martina McBride each with 9. "Cowboy Casanova" has now sold over 1 million copies, thus becoming the fifth single of Underwoods to go Platinum. In November 2009, Underwood attained total domestic album sales of 11 million and became the highest-selling American Idol artist in the United States, surpassing Kelly Clarkson by approximately 1,000,000 units."Album sales: Kris Allen fails to make Top 10", USAToday.com, 25 November 2009. On March 30, 2010, Underwoods second single from "Play On", "Temporary Home", reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Charts for the week of April 10, 2010, thus becoming Underwoods 9th non-consecutive #1 single on this chart in her career.