Carrie Underwood Opens Up About Her Emotional Postpartum Depression Song
Carrie Underwood was visibly emotional during a powerful American Idol audition.
On the Monday, February 2 episode of the reality singing competition, Underwood, alongside fellow judges Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, listened intently as season 24 contender Hannah Harper performed her original song “String Cheese.”
Harper shared that the song stemmed from her experiences with postpartum depression, which deeply resonated with Underwood, 42.
“That’s one of the most relatable songs I think I’ve ever heard,” said Underwood, who is a mother to sons Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 7, with her husband Mike Fisher. “You might just be my favorite person who has walked through those doors.”
Underwood added, “You’re someone I’ll think about after we leave here. I’ll be cheering for you. I loved everything about what you just did.”
The judging panel unanimously advanced Harper to the next round of auditions.
Lyrics from Harper’s song include, “Hot Wheels and little people under my feet / Babies crying, it’s pure chaos, but I don’t miss a beat / Always knew that a nine to five wouldn’t suit me too well / But my hours are extended, that’s just motherhood.”
Reflecting on her songwriting, Harper, a mother of three, explained to Underwood, Richie, 76, and Bryan, 49, that her words came to her after a poignant moment at home. “I was sitting on my couch feeling down… with boys, it’s always someone wanting to touch you,” she shared. “I didn’t want to be touched. I was just in a pity party, praying for peace.”
Harper continued, “My son kept coming up to me, ‘Mom, open this. Mom, open my cheese.’ I was like, ‘Leave me alone with the dadgum cheese.”
Once she opened her son’s string cheese, Harper realized her significant maternal responsibility. “I understood that God had placed me right there,” she told the judges. “Where I was in my home was the greatest ministry I could ever have.”
In a 2016 interview with Redbook, Underwood shared her insights on parenting while juggling a career, stating that working mothers should not hesitate to “ask for help.” She admitted, “Accepting help is a challenge for me, but I’m learning. Sometimes I feel guilty about my son’s life: we travel on a bus or stay in hotel rooms, and it’s not always glamorous. We have a nanny who assists us, especially on the road. However, I feel guilty asking someone to watch him at home while I take a quick trip to the store.”
Three years later, Underwood took to Instagram to share her honest thoughts on her parenting experience, admitting to being “hard” on herself. A 2019 gym selfie captured her feelings, stating, “I go into the gym and I can’t run as fast or as far. I can’t lift as much weight or do as many reps as I could a year ago. I just want to feel like myself again… for my body to return to what I know it can be.”
Realizing the need for self-compassion, Underwood concluded, “I’ll take it day by day, smile at the girl in the mirror, and work out because I love this body and all it has accomplished and will continue to do.”
