Carrie Underwood, the American Idol sensation, who has landed herself a judge’s spot for the new season, has soared to stardom since her win on the iconic talent show, becoming one of the best-selling music artists ever and snagging three Grammy Awards.
With an estimated net worth of a whopping $120 million, she’s truly made her mark on the music world and it’s been reported that she’ll be earning $10 million per season for her new role on American Idol.
Yet, Underwood dispelled rumors about getting a huge paycheck as much as $1 million per week for belting out the theme tune for NBC’s Sunday Night Football in a candid 2023 interview with Howard Stern. She revealed that her work on the theme song is essentially a labor of love.
“It’s pretty pro-bono. I wish I got that, that’d be great,” she laughed during the chat with Stern.
Underwood, ‘true’ to her country roots, expressed that performing the Sunday Night Football theme was an honor, making it clear her impressive net worth didn’t stem from football but from her thriving music career and various business endeavors.
American Idol star Carrie Underwood also performed at Trump’s MAGA inauguration and faced huge backlash from plenty of her fanbase.
Carrie Underwood’s “evolving appearance” at the political event sparked chatter among fans who say she looked “completely transformed”.
Back in 2007, NBC let slip that once contestants hit the Top 12 on American Idol, they start earning some cash, with finalists taking home $921 for every hour they’re featured on the show.
As an American Idol victor, Underwood was awarded a recording contract with Hollywood Records, a Disney-owned label. She received $125,000 upon starting her debut album, an advance budget to be repaid later, and another $125,000 upon completion of the album.
This gave Underwood a significant head start as a newbie in the industry.
With nearly two decades in the music scene, Underwood has mastered the art of diversifying her career. The ‘Before She Cheats’ singer expanded her wealth from traditional record sales, concerts, and tours to acting cameos and a clothing line.
Meanwhile, she invested her hard-earned money into building a 400-acre farm home for her family in Tennessee while continuing to make music.