Carrie Marie Underwood is an American country singer and songwriter. Known for her vocal ability and dynamic stage presence, Underwood is recognized as a pivotal figure in modern country music and often cited for her role in revitalizing and sustaining the presence of female country artists in popular music since winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.
Her first single, "Inside Your Heaven" in 2005, made her the first-ever country artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 and the only solo country artist to top the Hot 100 in the 2000s. Led by crossover singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and RIAA diamond-certified "Before He Cheats", her first album, Some Hearts (2005), became the best-selling debut album of all time by a solo female country artist, was ranked by Billboard as the top country album of the 2000s, and won her three Grammy Awards—including Best New Artist.