Carrie Underwood received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Thursday, and Simon Cowell, who helped launch Underwood's career on American Idol, shared why he knew she was a superstar from the very start.
"Thirty seconds ago, I was remembering that moment in 2004, St. Louis...we were having the worst American Idol season I have ever had in my life," Cowell began in his speech. "The whole show was in what I call gray and white. It was nothing. And then, this shy lady walks in and sings, "I Can't Make You Love Me," and the show turned into full color at that point."
"I thought, 'We may have found a great artist here—and we did," Cowell continued. The former American Idol judge, who had just been a part of the America's Got Talent finale Wednesday night, then shared when Underwood made the biggest impact on him.
"I think it was after you sang 'Alone' that I made a prediction that you would become the best-selling Idol winner, which you are," Cowell said as the crowd in Los Angeles erupted into cheers.
A clip from American Idol shows Cowell did indeed correctly guess Underwood's success at the 2:40 mark. In the video, below, he says, "You're not just the girl to beat, you're the person to beat. I will make a prediction: Not only will you win this show, you will sell more records than any other previous Idol winner."
Since winning Season 4 of American Idol, Underwood has won seven Grammys, six Country Music Awards, and 14 Academy of Country Music Awards. Her husband, Mike Fisher, their 3-year-old son Isaiah Michael, and Underwood's CMA co-star Brad Paisley were all present to see Underwood receive the prestigious honor. And of course, so was her baby bump!
