Hannah Harper may have made a friend for life. The American Idol winner appeared to create a genuine friendship with Carrie Underwood during her time on the show. It all began when the country music star was brought to tears during Harper's audition.
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Harper had chosen to sing an original song called 'String Cheese'. The audition went viral. The song explored how Harper had overcome postnatal struggles, resonating with the audience and with Underwood.
During a recent interview with TV Insider, Harper revealed that Underwood has already been offering support as Harper looks to take the next steps in her career.
"Carrie was really encouraging, just as a mom," Harper said during the interview. "She relates. She was like, 'Anything you need in the industry, I want to be available, help you with whatever you need.' That was really nice."
Having a titan like Underwood in your corner can never be a bad thing. Underwood, an American Idol winner in her own right, will have a rare understanding of what it takes to turn success on the show into a globally successful career.
Harper seems ready to take those next steps, which is why she was ultimately crowned the winner of the show this year.
Hannah Harper Is Planning To Use Her Lessons From 'American Idol'
American Idol is more than just a reality show for the contestants. The experience prepares everyone for what comes next in the industry. It also provides an opportunity to network with other musicians and the judges themselves.
"Getting to chat with [the judges] after the show and hearing how genuine they are [was great]. They're real people who just want to encourage us every step of the way," Harper said. "It was one of the highlights of the whole competition."
Now that Harper is preparing to take those next steps in her career and navigate the unforgiving music industry, she's aiming to take those lessons from American Idol and put them into practice.
"Going forward ... you just have to be confident in knowing your ability and you're exactly where you need to be," Harper said. "I walked into the competition feeling small and towards the end I stood taller, not because of my ability necessarily, but knowing that there's a crowd of people who want to hear what I have to say. That's a great feeling."
If you're an American Idol fan, chances are that you can't wait to see what new music Harper cooks up and where her career takes her from here.
