Most people think Carrie Underwood’s foray into faith-based tracks started when she hit the big stage at American Idol or maybe when she dropped that gospel album a few years back. Honestly, that’s not really how it happened. To understand Carrie Underwood Christian music, you have to look at a little girl in Checotah, Oklahoma, standing in a wooden pew at the First Baptist Church. She wasn't a "crossover artist" then. She was just a kid singing hymns because that’s what you did on Sundays.
The industry likes to put artists in boxes. You're either Country, or you're CCM (Contemporary Christian Music), or you're Pop. Carrie basically looked at those boxes and decided to ignore them. She’s built a career that feels more like a bridge than a silo. You’ve got the revenge anthems like "Before He Cheats," sure. But then you’ve got "Jesus, Take the Wheel," which wasn't just a hit—it was a cultural moment that proved faith could sell on mainstream radio without being "preachy."
The "My Savior" Era and the Legacy Move
When the world stopped in 2020, Carrie didn't just sit around. She recorded My Savior. She’s gone on record calling this project "legacy stuff." That’s a heavy word. It means she wasn't looking for a radio edit or a TikTok trend. She wanted to record the songs her parents and grandparents loved.
Produced alongside David Garcia—who, fun fact, is a total powerhouse in the Christian music world with nine Dove Awards—the album is surprisingly stripped back. It doesn't have the "wall of sound" production you hear on her stadium tours. It’s acoustic. It’s raw. It features Buddy Greene on harmonica. If you know anything about Southern Gospel, you know Buddy is a legend.
The tracklist reads like a hymnal:
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- "How Great Thou Art" – This is arguably her vocal peak. She performed it with Vince Gill years ago, and people still talk about it.
- "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" – She brought in CeCe Winans for this one. Having the most awarded female gospel singer of all time on your record is a flex, but their voices actually blend perfectly without trying to out-sing each other.
- "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus" – This one features Bear Rinehart from NEEDTOBREATHE. It’s got a bit more "tempo and movement" than the version you’d hear in a traditional service.
Why "Jesus, Take the Wheel" Changed Everything
It’s easy to forget how risky "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was in 2005. At the time, she was a fresh reality show winner. Most people in her position would have played it safe with a generic love song. Instead, she released a narrative about a woman hitting a patch of black ice and surrendering her life to God.
It worked.
The song spent six weeks at number one. It won Grammys. It won Dove Awards. But more importantly, it gave other country artists "permission" to be more overt about their faith. We saw it later with "Something in the Water," which literally ends with a choir singing "Amazing Grace." Some critics poked at her for it, saying she was playing it too safe or leanings too hard into the religious demographic. Carrie’s response was pretty much a shrug. She told Associated Press that she’s a "born-again Christian" and it’s just part of who she is.
Recent Moves: Leading Worship in Tennessee
Fast forward to late 2024 and 2025. Carrie’s been popping up in places you wouldn't expect a global superstar to be. Recently, she showed up at Rolling Hills Community Church in Franklin, Tennessee. She wasn't there for a ticketed concert. She was just... leading worship.
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A few grainy cell phone videos surfaced of her singing "Goodness of God" by Bethel Music. She looked like anyone else on a Sunday morning, just with a much better voice. It’s this kind of thing that makes her Christian music journey feel authentic. It’s not a marketing gimmick to sell a "Special Edition" CD. She’s actually involved in the community.
The Numbers Behind the Spirit
If you're into the stats, the impact is undeniable. In late 2025, the RIAA named her the highest-certified female country artist of all time, with over 95 million units. A massive chunk of that success is tied to her faith-heavy tracks. My Savior debuted at number one on both the Billboard Country and Christian charts.
It’s rare to see that kind of crossover. Usually, if you go too "churchy," you lose the mainstream. If you stay too mainstream, the church audience thinks you're fake. Carrie manages to sit right in the middle. She’s sold over 293,000 units of that gospel album alone, which, in the age of streaming, is actually kind of wild for a collection of 100-year-old hymns.
What’s Next for Carrie’s Faith Journey?
Looking at 2026, it seems she’s doubling down. There are whispers of her helping produce more faith-centric content for television, similar to the Easter special she did for American Idol. She’s also been vocal about wanting to mentor younger artists who feel like they have to hide their beliefs to make it in Nashville or L.A.
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Actionable Steps for Fans and Listeners
If you’re trying to dive deeper into this side of her discography, don’t just stick to the hits.
- Listen to the "My Savior" Live DVD: The Ryman Auditorium performance is way better than the studio version. The acoustics of that "Mother Church of Country Music" add a layer of reverence you can't fake in a booth.
- Check out the Collaborations: Don't sleep on the "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" duet with CeCe Winans. It’s a masterclass in vocal control.
- Watch the 2017 CMA "Softly and Tenderly" Performance: This was the In Memoriam tribute after the Las Vegas shooting. It’s probably the most emotional she’s ever been on stage, and it shows the "healing" side of her music.
- Follow the Songwriters: If you like the vibe of her faith songs, look up Brett James or Chris DeStefano. They’ve been instrumental in helping her craft those lyrics that feel spiritual without being cheesy.
Carrie Underwood hasn't "switched" to Christian music. She just stopped pretending it wasn't the foundation of everything else she was doing. Whether she’s at a Vegas residency or a small church in Tennessee, the message stays pretty consistent. She’s just a girl from Oklahoma with a big voice and an even bigger faith.
Next Steps for You: You might want to explore the "My Savior: LIVE From The Ryman" performances on streaming platforms to hear the difference between the studio arrangements and the live, soulful renditions. Check out the 2025 JubileeCast reports for a deeper look at her latest RIAA milestones and how her gospel sales contributed to that record-breaking 95 million units.