The most recent episode of “American Idol” had a few things you might not have expected, such as automotive vandalism and yodeling, for example. Also a glimpse of a previous Alabama contender cruising down the road in Helena.
The episode also featured a glimpse of another 2025 contender from Alabama – though, sadly, not her actual audition. (But there’s a twist.)
This season, producers have been having considerable fun exploring the history of Carrie Underwood, the 2005 winner who has returned to the show as a judge, filling the spot vacated by Katy Perry. That starts with a lot of auditioners praising Underwood as an inspiration and flattering her by singing her songs.
One of those featured in Sunday’s episode was Sophia Humbert, a 22-year-old from Arizona, who sang Underwood’s hit “Before He Cheats.” The judges wanted her to tap into the anger in the lyrics, so they took her out to trash a pickup just like in the song. It was a little surreal seeing her, Underwood, Ryan Seacrest, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie don work gloves and protective eyewear to wield baseball bats, but they seemed to get into it.
Things you did not necessarily expect to see: Lionel Richie taking a sledgehammer to a pickup truck. The moment came courtesy of the 2025 season of "American Idol." (Eric McCandless/Disney)Eric McCandless/Disney
Humbert got three thumbs up. Others did not, including yodeler Phoebe White. But eventually the focus was put right back on Underwood, with a segment showing her taking her fellow judges and Seacrest for a ride in the blue Mustang convertible she won in 2005.
She claimed she’d never used the CD player in it, but somehow when they hit the button, it played the hit single “Inside Your Heaven.” Only it wasn’t Underwood’s version, which went to No. 1 in summer 2005.
Bo Bice, a Huntsville native living in Helena at the time, finished second to Underwood that year. He too released a version of “Inside Your Heaven” in summer 2005, hitting No. 2. Nowadays it’s hard to imagine the top two “Idol” contenders hitting No. 1 and No. 2 at more or less the same time, with the same song, but it just goes to remind you of the absurd cultural power “Idol” had in its heyday.
“I mean, we both released Inside Your Heaven as a single,” said Underwood. “Why is Bo’s version inside my car?”
So producers could air a clip of the moment when the show gave a pair of blue Mustang convertibles to Underwood and Bice, that’s why. And so they could cut to a surprise clip of Bice cruising down the road in Helena in his blue ‘Stang, singing along to Underwood’s version of the tune.
“Sing it, girl!” he exclaimed.
He posted afterward on Facebook that he’d also gotten to spend a little time backstage.
“I’m seeing all the pictures and videos from American Idol last night,” Bice wrote. “I was happy to visit with my friends from the show and see the familiar faces who helped us along our journey. It was great to see my friend Carrie Underwood after so many years, I’m rooting for her like she’s a contestant! She’s doing a fantastic job and I’m extremely proud of her. Thank you for having me come by and see everyone and spend some time with our A.I. Family.”
“Carrie Underwood you’re absolutely awesome!” he reiterated in another post. “I’m extremely proud of you all your success my friend. Keep up the great work on American Idol as a Judge, you’re doing a great job and everyone is loving it! I’m pulling for you!”
Bice wasn’t the only Alabama contender glimpsed on Sunday. Anna McElroy, a country singer from Mobile, had advised fans ahead of time that she would be featured, though her actual audition wouldn’t be shown. The way it played out, she was featured in a jokey montage of candidates plying the judges with everything from food and drink to gloves and socks.
McElroy brought in a tray of cocktails. “I swear this is not a bribe, I swear,” she said. “Do you have to go back to work after this?” asked Underwood. “Dude, I hope not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I did,” said McElroy.
And that was pretty much that. If you’d like to learn more about McElroy’s gifts, visit https://www.annamcelroymusic.com/ or check out her videos on YouTube.
On social media, McElroy thanked fans for their “endless encouragement during this process.”
“I am so thankful to have been given the opportunity to experience something like this and to have met the people I have met,” she posted. “I am so excited for what my future holds, and I truly feel the love and support from each of you. It’s one of the things that keeps me going when this industry gets hard, and that means the world to me.”
UPDATE: McElroy posted midweek on Facebook that her “Idol” run didn’t end with that montage. “SECRETS OUT! I’m going to Hollywood!” she said. “This is an experience I’ll never forget & I’m so excited for what’s next.”
So far, two Alabama contenders have been shown getting their Golden Tickets to the Hollywood Round, Isaiah Moore of Oneonta and Crews Wright of Samson. More may emerge in the final audition episode, which airs at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 30, on ABC, or in the Hollywood episodes that follow starting on Monday, March 31.
Previously aired episodes can be seen on Hulu.