Carrie Underwood is embarking on a literal journey back to her roots. On August 4th, the esteemed "American Idol" judge swapped her signature golden locks for a radiant brownish blonde hue, revealing that it marked the dawn of a new era—her first foray into this hair color in three decades. "The last time I glimpsed my natural hair color, I was barely into double digits," Carrie reminisced on Instagram, accompanied by snapshots of her freshly tinted tresses. "But I felt it was high time to give it another chance."
Expressing gratitude to Katelin August, her Nashville-based colorist, for "guiding me back to my origins," the 42-year-old elegance added a playful caption, "#NewOldMe," embodying her transformation.
Carrie's yearning to experiment with her appearance has been a long-standing desire. In 2012, she confided to Refinery29, "I've always been blonde, but I've harbored a secret longing to dabble in hair color. The dilemma is, I don't want to startle folks—if I dyed my hair brown, I fear they'd mistake it for a darker, more somber turn." She further mused, "I wish I had embarked on this hair journey sooner. If I did so now, it wouldn't evoke such a shock."
Indeed, the vocalist behind the hit "Before He Cheats" has at times felt constrained by her image. Reflecting on her "Idol" days in a 2013 interview with Redbook, Carrie, who first graced the singing competition's stage in 2005, shared, "That was my initiation into the world of styled hair. I sported some big hair moments. While I do adore big hair, I wouldn't revisit that era."
Much of this transformation stems from her role as a mother to her sons, Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 6, with her husband Mike Fisher. Speaking to Elle in 2016 after bidding adieu to her hair extensions, Carrie elucidated, "Chopping off my hair was a quintessential 'mom' move. I could spend half an hour blow-drying my long locks, or I could use that precious time bonding with my son. The latter wins hands down."
