American Idol winner performs at Mullins

Former "American Idol" winner Carrie Underwood performed at the Mullins Center last night as part of her first headlining tour. She focused on most of the songs from her newest album, "Carnival Ride," along with some older fan favorites from 2005's "Some Hearts." The three years since her "American Idol" win have transformed the Oklahoma native into a completely different performer. Her stage presence has evolved, focusing more on pumping up the crowd than on showcasing her vocal talents.

Underwood started off shakily with the first track off her new CD, "Flat on the Floor." She rose out of the stage from underneath, which made for an exciting entrance, but the vocals through her first few songs were mediocre as she began her set. Following the first five songs, she changed into a floor-length blue dress and transitioned into Grammy award-winning song "Jesus Take the Wheel." The song was one of her earliest singles and the first of the night from her first album. The crowd instantly recognized the song, and Underwood let them sing the first chorus on their own.

The crowd's reaction to the song gave her an obvious confidence boost and energy for the middle of her performance. She followed "Jesus Take the Wheel" with powerful ballad "I Know You Won't." This song and the ones that followed finally showcased Underwood's true vocal abilities, creating a different stage presence than earlier in the show. She shifted to a series of more upbeat songs with "I Ain't In Checotah Anymore" and "Crazy Dreams."

Towards the end of the show, Underwood seemed to lose momentum a bit. "All-American Girl" was well-received, but she seemed to have lost some of her energy by the time she got to "So Small," one of her newer songs. Underwood's encore started with a ballad and moved on to an unlikely choice, a Guns 'N Roses cover. As more of a ballad performer, '80s metal is not where her strengths lie. It wasn't her best song vocally, but gave her band a chance to have fun and do something different onstage. She ended her set with her latest and most successful hit, "Before He Cheats." This was a definite crowd favorite.

Although Underwood's catchier songs carry her albums, her ballads were where her voice really shone in a live performance. She seemed most comfortable with the slower songs, during which she gave herself a chance to belt out the strong notes and showcase her talent. Josh Turner opened for Underwood with a simple set that featured his deep, crooning voice. "Would You Go With Me" from his 2006 album "Your Man" was especially popular with the female portion of the Mullins Center crowd.

Meghan Murphy can be reached at mmurphy@dailycollegian.com

Source : http://media.www.dailycollegian.com

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