"Living my best rockstar life!" the country star said of the performance
NEED TO KNOW
- Carrie Underwood joined Mötley Crüe for a special performance at the 2026 finale of American Idol
- The Grammy winner and current judge won the reality show’s fourth season in 2005
- Underwood has expressed her love for rock and roll in the past, performing with artists such as Guns N’ Roses and Joan Jett
Carrie Underwood has returned to her roots.
On Monday, May 11, the 43-year-old "Before He Cheats" singer joined Mötley Crüe for a duet during the American Idol 2026 season finale. The Grammy winner, who is now a judge on the reality show, won the fourth season of the hit competition series in 2005.
Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless
The performance began with the heavy metal band — which consists of Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and John 5 — featuring Underwood in a rendition of "Home Sweet Home."
Lionel Richie was seen dancing from his judge’s seat as the ballad intensified, with sparks raining down from the stage’s ceiling and the guitar and drums growing louder.
Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless
The group transitioned into "Kickstart My Heart," fully rocking out in front of the audience.
As the music mashup came to an end, flames shot up from the stage as strobe lights and images of two skeletons decorated their background. They received a standing ovation from the "Hello" hitmaker, 76, who was positioned beside host Ryan Seacrest and Underwood's fellow judge Luke Bryan.
Credit: Disney/Eric McCandless
"Living my best rockstar life! #AmericanIdol🤘🏻," Underwood captioned an Instagram carousel recapping the electrifying performance.
The "Jesus, Take the Wheel" singer has been vocal about her appreciation for the rock genre.
Last April, Underwood surprised fans when she performed with Papa Roach for a set of songs at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
For the concert, the band — Jacoby Shaddix, Jerry Horton, Tobin Esperance and Tony Palermo — started with their collaboration "Leave a Light on (Talk Away the Dark)." They also performed "Last Resort" for the song’s 25th anniversary.
In a statement shared exclusively with PEOPLE at the time, Underwood said, "This collaboration has meant so much to me. Getting to perform ‘Leave a Light on’ live with Jacoby for the first time was incredibly special."
"And then jumping into ‘Last Resort?' That was just pure adrenaline," she added. "I was so incredibly excited to rock out on stage with the guys."
Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty
Underwood’s love for rock runs deep.
In June 2019, she reflected on being able to work with legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist Joan Jett.
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"Dreams come true at #CMAFest !" Underwood captioned an Instagram post of the two performing together. "This was mine."
"Just to be in the same room as @joanjett is really cool…to share the stage with her is indescribable! She truly is a legend and is probably the coolest person I have ever met. I was so proud to show her how amazing our CMA Fest crowd is! What a night! 🖤," her post concluded.
Underwood has also joined Guns N' Roses on stage multiple times, including inviting them to close out her 2022 headlining Stagecoach set and opening for the band's stadium dates in 2023. She called the experiences "a lifelong dream come true."
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