Behind the Scenes with Carrie Underwood

Behind the Scenes with Carrie Underwood

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While it used to be a major part of my day-to-day job when I lived in New York, celebrity interviews now are few and far between and a nice break from my traditional daily routine of sitting in front of my computer, writing and researching for magazine articles and guidebooks. So when I was asked to interview Carrie Underwood back in January for Vegas magazine’s cover story for the April/May issue, I was totally stoked. It didn’t hurt that I’ve been a fan of Carrie since her Idol days.

After she spent an entire morning and afternoon looking pretty for the camera, she changed into sweats and we sat down in a back room to chat. She was surprisingly bubbly and candid for as tired as she must have been. I’ve done, literally, hundreds of celebrity interviews—in one-on-one situations, at events, on the red carpet, on camera—and this was one of the most delightful experiences I’ve had in my seven years of dabbling in the entertainment industry. I was nervous as I usually don’t have so much one-on-one time—30 minutes is forever when you’re interviewing someone—and it was just the two of us, but the time flew by without pause. She was just so real, so down to Earth, so interesting to talk to (so pretty!).

Here’s an excerpt from our interview regarding her new single, Good Girl, and the upcoming album:

Carrie Underwood, Vegas Magazine interview 1 by CamelsAndChocolate

Some things Carrie and I have in common: We were both born in 1983 just two weeks apart. We were engaged in 2009, married in 2010. We both do our grocery shopping at the new Whole Foods in Franklin. We both went to journalism school. We both grew up in small towns out in the country. We both have a love of dogs. We both pal around with Brad Paisley in our free time and have singing voices that could stop traffic … oh wait.

For those of you who have never been on the set of a photo shoot, it’s rather fun…when you’re not in NYC, at least, which is a whole other, high-stress ball game. The eight-hour day was pretty laid back, as things in the South tend to be, and took place in a studio out in West Nashville. There was a stylist and accessories editor in from New York, a photographer from LA, two photo assistants who were locals, Carrie’s publicist and her hair/makeup girl Melissa, and me. She did six different looks, from Tory Burch to Nanette Lepore, each of which required a wardrobe change and different hairstyle.

After the shoot concluded, a couple local media teams stopped by to do spots with her. I was blown away (to borrow from the title of her new album) by how camera-perfect she was—she was a broadcast major after all and would make such an awesome news anchor—and how she could do one take and get it right.

Carrie couldn’t have been cuter either: bantering with the photog, singing to My Humps on the radio, teetering on tall, tall heels, claiming she might bite the dust. Spending a day with her, you sort of forget the global fame that surrounds her as she’s just so…normal.

Many celebrity interviews (ahem, Richard Gere, ahem) make me reconsider my fandom, but after meeting Carrie, my love for her only grew. I have all of her albums and will definitely be buying the new one when it’s released next month.

All of the above shots were snapped with my iPhone. Check out the official photos from the shoot here, as they are extraordinary (and I was jealous of every one of her dresses, not to mention her physique!).

COMMENTS
  • April 4, 2012

    There are no words for how cool this is! (curious though – what happened with Richard Gere?!)

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      Just imagine the rudest, most patronizing person you’ve ever met and you’ve got Richard Gere. I was asking him about his new movie (at the time) because, you know, I worked for an entertainment magazine and HE told ME to get my priorities straight. Jerk.

  • April 4, 2012

    She’s a celebrity I would love to meet ! So cool you get to do this every so often. Loved the audio clip!

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      Thanks, Brittani! She is a total sweetheart.

  • April 4, 2012

    Sounds like so much fun! I love her music, so I’m glad to hear she’s great in person 🙂

  • April 4, 2012

    So fun! I read the article yesterday online after you tweeted about it being out…

    Next up: T. Swift, yes? 😉

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      One can dream! I do spend an inordinate amount of time at Fido and Frothy Monkey when in Nashville in hopes she’ll stop by…

      • April 5, 2012

        Ha! This is almost exactly my comment! lol

        xox

  • April 4, 2012

    Sounds like a fun day! (Though the end made me sad to read that Richard Gere was not a fun interview. I used to love him!)

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      Me, too. And now he ruined Pretty Woman for me forever.

  • April 4, 2012

    SO flippin’ cool! I just love Carrie. I literally almost peed my pants when I saw her at the County Clerk last year. I was shaking so much that I couldn’t even squeak out a hello. Loved the audio clip, she seems so casual, comfortable and normal!

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      What was she doing at the county clerk?? Getting her marriage license? =)

      • April 4, 2012

        She was getting a new driver’s license with her married name, I heard her telling the guy her name was Carrie Fisher 🙂 So cute!

  • April 4, 2012

    So telling people that I’m friends with you is basically like saying I’m friends with Carrie Underwood too, right?

    She really does seem like a pretty cool chick and it sounds like it was a pretty awesome day. I’ve been a fan of hers for a while as well so I’ll be sure to check out the new album. Oh, and by the way, I think she was awfully lucky to get to meet you too 🙂

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      Yes! I think that’s a fair statement =)

      And thank you! I was just hoping she’d ask me to go on a double date with her and Mike sometime, ha (didn’t happen).

  • April 4, 2012

    It’s nice to hear that she is such a down-to-earth person. She has been a favourite in our home since American Idol and it’s a relief to find a celebrity that a mom doesn’t mind her daughters looking up to.

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      So true! I don’t even have daughters, but I love Carrie and Taylor for that reason, too: They’re just such good role models. Emma Stone, as well.

  • April 4, 2012
    Brandy

    Sounds like a fun day! It’s always nice to hear about a celebrity who’s actually nice and down-to-earth.

  • April 4, 2012

    Awesome! You know I’m more excited to hear your voice than listen to the whole interview. 🙂 Now I can project your voice when I read your posts. 😉

    • April 4, 2012
      Kristin

      I feel like I’m *usually* a little more excited-sounding than I was in this interview, where I was just trying to keep my cool, ha =) So imagine me like this but marginally more energetic!

  • April 4, 2012

    I’m always glad to find out celebs are down-to-earth behind the scenes. She really is adorable!

  • April 5, 2012

    Did you ask her if she drinks whiskey? 🙂

  • April 5, 2012

    EEEK! This is SO beyond cool!! She is such a gem. I got to meet her too recently, but it was way less amazing haha. (pics on the blog!) But she is just a doll baby. Adorable. Thanks for a great inside look!! xoxo

  • April 5, 2012
    Deb

    Great article and pictures! Carrie is just so beautiful and I imagined she was a real sweetheart since all the interviews I have listened to or read seem to show her that way. Plus you read how she likes to shop for her groceries, clean her own house and vehicle, etc. like we normal people do. I think she always seems very humble by her fame and very appreciative of it. I am looking forward to her new album Blown Away. She has such amazing talent! Thank you!

  • April 6, 2012

    Wow, that’s awesome! I won’t lie… I just recently started to get into her music but I’m in love. I was actually just having a conversation with a friend the other day on how she seems like the perfect woman and this just makes that point even more! She seems like a wonderful person and that’s awesome you had a chance to meet her! As for the Richard Gere interview – Wow! I read your comment above and that’s horrible! My mother actually had a similar experience with Martha Stewart (way back in the 90s) and it’s eye opening (sadly in a bad way sometimes) how down right Horrible celebrities can be!

  • April 7, 2012

    Very cool and love the interview! Having dipped my toe into this pool a little I can confirm it is scary. About to do an event on Tuesday and I am totally nervous….

  • April 9, 2012

    Not a country music fan, but she looks AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Very cool that you got to spend time with her. 🙂

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