Carrie Underwood Makes History with First-Ever Hawaii Performances
“We had such an incredible time and we will never forget it,” Underwood shared of her time in the Aloha State.
Carrie Underwood; Photos by Jeff Johnson
Carrie Underwood was truly feeling the aloha spirit during her first-ever run of shows in Hawaii over the weekend.
The eight-time GRAMMY winner was welcomed to Hawaii by Honorable Rick Blangiardi, Mayor of the Honolulu and County of Honolulu, and Governor Josh Green, who proclaimed July 18 “Carrie Underwood Day.”
The chart-topping star was honored with ceremonial proclamations for her remarkable career achievements, significant cultural and societal contributions, and her debut performances in Hawaii.
Underwood is the first country artist to receive this accolade from both the State of Hawaii and the City and County of Honolulu. This marks the first time in Aloha State history that these honors have been awarded to an entertainer from any genre simultaneously by these government bodies.
The Oklahoma native, who has now performed in all 50 states, sold out her first performance at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Arena in less than an hour, joining Garth Brooks as the only two country stars to sell out the venue so quickly.
Due to demand, Underwood added a second show and performed for two sold-out, standing-room-only crowds at Blaisdell Arena on July 19 and 20, dazzling fans with her vocals and energetic performances along the way.
@therealcharuki Carrie Underwood Night 2 in Honolulu singing All American Girl @Carrie Underwood #blaisdell #carrieunderwood #honolulu #hawaii ♬ original sound – Charuki
During both shows, she welcomed a young girl from the audience to join her during “All-American Girl,” while also performing beloved hits like Jesus, Take The Wheel,” “Before He Cheats,” and “Blown Away.”
In addition to performing tracks from her latest album, Denim & Rhinestones, Underwood also covered Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘N Roll,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Paradise City” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”
Her husband, Mike Fisher, accompanied her on her journey to Hawaii, which happened to take place just days after their 14th wedding anniversary.
While visiting the Aloha state, Underwood enjoyed everything the island had to offer, including a traditional luau. She even documented some of the fun by taking hilarious island-themed band photos on the beach.
“Don’t mind us, folks. We’re just out here living our best lives! No band members were harmed in the taking of these pictures,” she captioned the cheeky set of photos.
Next up, the superstar will return to the stage on July 29 in Nashville to honor the late Toby Keith during Toby Keith: American Icon. The star-studded tribute event will also feature performances by Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, The War And Treaty, and more. The event will be taped and will air on NBC on Wednesday, August 28, from 9-11 pm ET/PT.
Later this year, Underwood will return to Las Vegas for her ongoing REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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