Carrie Underwood Says ‘American Idol’ Theme Still Triggers Contestant Anxiety: “It’s the PTSD!”

Carrie Underwood Says ‘American Idol’ Theme Still Triggers Contestant Anxiety: “It’s the PTSD!”

You can take the girl out of the competition, but you can’t take the competition out of the girl — just ask Carrie Underwood.

The former American Idol champ-turned-judge posted a funny behind-the-scenes video this week showing that even superstars aren’t immune to a little Idol-induced anxiety.

In the clip, Carrie is seated at the judges’ table, just moments before filming begins. The lights are ready, the cameras are rolling — and the iconic American Idol theme music starts to swell. Her reaction?

“For the record, the ‘American Idol’ music gives me anxiety. I get this flash of fear in my heart — like nervousness. Because it’s the same. PTSD.”

Yep, even with a net worth of $120 million, multiple Grammys, and a Vegas residency under her belt, that music still hits different.

And she’s not wrong. That dramatic, tension-packed Idol theme has been a constant since the show’s early days — a sonic time capsule of nerves, hope, and live-television suspense.

For Carrie, who won Idol back in 2005, the music is more than just nostalgic. It’s a full-body flashback to a time when her fate hung in the balance each week, surrounded by judges and millions of voters on the other end of a phone line.

Fans loved the candid moment, flooding the comments with their own stories of Idol-induced anxiety and affectionately calling Carrie “all of us.”

It’s a reminder that even idols have their old jitters — and sometimes, all it takes is a familiar soundtrack to bring it all rushing back.