Continuing with my country theme, I give you Carrie Underwood. Now seriously? Doesn't country look good? So LeAnn Rimes probably didn't win you over; that's fine. I need to work on you a bit; fair enough. Does Carrie sway you any? Just a little? Huh? Maybe? While you mull that over let me tell you a bit about Miss Underwood. (Most of the pics do enlarge when clicked)
Carrie Marie Underwood is from Oklahoma and she sings as well as write country songs. Yee haw. Her claim to fame was emerging the winner of the fourth season of American Idol. Believe me when I tell you that this 25 year old packs a lot of much. In fact all these women who'll be featured this week are quite a force to be reckoned with.
Try these stats on for size: she's a multi-platinum selling artist; yes that's right multi, a multiple Grammy Award winner (no Miss Underwood doesn't settle for single at all), her debut album has been certified 7 times over and as per Nielsen SoundScan is the fastest selling debut country album to date. Some Hearts has sold over 7 million copies so far.
Underwood has been racking up top singles regionally as well. Her biggest so far being Before He Cheats. If you haven't seen the video for this, go out to YouTube right now (well immediately after reading this blog) and view it.
I love it. Carrie kicks ass in this video. Yep she's a bad ass chick from Muskogee, Oklahoma and she's not afraid to show it. She's got a baseball bat, knife and keys and she's not afraid to use them on his nice new ride.
Check out some of the lyrics from the song: Right now he's probably slow dancing with a bleach blond tramp,and she's probably getting frisky... right now, he's probably buying her some fruity little drink cause she can't shoot whiskey... Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool-stick, showing her how to shoot a combo...
And he don't know... That I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped up 4 wheel drive, carved my name into his leather seats... I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights, slashed a hole in all 4 tires... Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats. (You just gotta love it I tell you!)
Her second album Carnival Ride (certified double platinum by December 2007) was released October last year and though not a huge fan of country music myself, I went out and bought it and I must admit that I rather like it. The young woman's got mad vocal skills; very pristine and powerful voice and you've gotta love her for being and remaining free of all the negative drama that seems prevalent and so contagious these days.
She's the kinda gal you'd be proud to take home to momma. The kind of gal you would want the whole world to see on your arm. The kind of gal you'd go down to the coffee shop with instead of having coffee at home just so others could be envious; so that you could say to the world, 'Hey looky looky here. I'm the luckiest person in the world.'
Overall, she has sold some 11 million records in the U.S. alone. On May 10 of this year she was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry by Garth Brooks once again setting another record for being the youngest member ever inducted. She accomplished another first when she became the first American Idol winner or contestant to be nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year.
She graduated magma cum laude from Northeastern State University with a BA degree in mass communication with an emphasis on journalism. The term dumb blond definitely does not apply to her. Not that blonds are dumb to begin with. The woman stacked!
At the 43rd Annual Country Music Awards which was held in May of this year Carrie won the top Female Vocalist category making it two consecutive wins in a row. Underwood is the first female artist to have two consecutive albums each releasing 3 number 1 hits on the Hot Country Chart sine 1998. This woman is a trailblazer. She's just tearing up the country music industry and she's just getting started!
She has been voted PETA's World Sexiest Vegetation in 2005 as well as 2007. Victoria's Secret name her Sexiest Female Musician, she has been honored as one of the 3 most influential entertainers in America and Country Weekly named her Sexiest Female Artist. And as I so appropriately like to interject at such intervals, 'How you like dem apples?'
On September 25 Underwood will join forces or should I say voices with the likes of Leona Lewis, Rihanna, Fergie, Beyonce, Ciara and other singers to perform a single Just Stand Up during a life telethon to aid the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.
Carrie Underwood is positively one of the many women who make me happy and very proud to have started a blog for the sole purpose of celebrating women! Thank you Miss Underwood! Thank You! Keep doing great things. You are absolutely swell!
So tell me now, are you sold as yet?
Feeling a little bit country?
Think I'm on to something?
Am I worthy?
If not as yet, then hey - the week's not over.
I've got 3 more days to try to sway you or should I say to prove I'm right?
