A "beautiful moment!"
In honor of 17 years since Carrie Underwood won American Idol, she shared a journal entry that she wrote after winning the show that changed her life.
"Today is the 17-year anniversary of my @americanidol win!" Underwood, 39, shared on Instagram. "Where does the time go? Please enjoy a page from the journal of a 22-year-old farm girl who just had the most incredible night!"
"I still feel the excitement through the pages!" she continued. "Happy anniversary to me and a forever 'thank you' to all who voted! ☺️."
In her journal entry, Underwood recalled the moment when host Ryan Seacrest announced her as the winner.
"Big moment," she wrote. "I took one mere look at the amazing crowd and let it sink in for a few seconds. Ryan said something like, 'And your 2005 'American Idol' winner is...' My heart beat fast and I closed my eyes. CARRIE UNDERWOOD!!! The crowd went wild. I immediately started crying. It was a beautiful moment."
Underwood also recalled the other contestants coming out to hug her after her big win. She wrote that she was "crying the whole time" and had a hard time singing "Inside Your Heaven" because she "blubbered through" the song.
Another exciting moment that she shared in her journal entry was when she was gifted the keys to a 2005 red convertible Mustang.
"How cool is that?" Underwood wrote.
After Underwood beat runner-up Bo Bice in the "American Idol" finale, she went on to sell more than 66 million records worldwide while also becoming a New York Times bestselling author.
She has seven albums that are certified Platinum or Multi-Platinum by the RIAA and in December 2021, she completed her first Las Vegas Residency titled "Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency."
Now, Underwood is gearing up to release her ninth studio album "Denim & Rhinestones" in June.
"I can’t wait any longer!! I have a new album coming June 10!" she announced on Twitter in April. "Get ready for #DenimAndRhinestones!"