Gabby Barrett Opens Up About Her Newfound Friendship With Carrie Underwood
Gabby Barrett has been breaking records and spiraling in success with her debut single “I Hope” that went No. 1…

Gabby Barrett; Photo by Robby Klein; Carrie Underwood; Photo Courtesy of Facebook
Gabby Barrett has been breaking records and spiraling in success with her debut single “I Hope” that went No. 1 in April 2020, as well as making history with the release of her major-label debut album, Goldmine.
Barrett’s success comes after placing third on Season 16 of American Idol and proving her star power with the release of her debut single “I Hope.” Idol not only helped her grow a massive fanbase with her impressive vocal abilities but a show that has also earned her some celebrity friends.
Even with the immense amounts of success that she has earned, Barrett still cannot believe all that has been happening, and she can’t help but pinch herself when she thinks about how she’s become friends with some of her music idols.
During her time on Idol in 2018, Barrett’s Idol Carrie Underwood mentored her throughout the show, which allowed her to get to know the country superstar and former Idol winner.
“Oh my God, I’ve looked up to you my entire life,” Barrett said when meeting Underwood during Idol. “I started singing country music because of you, and I think you’re an amazing example.”
Barrett still pinches herself thinking about all of the success that she has earned since the show from the release of her record-breaking single “I Hope” that topped the charts for weeks to the release of her debut album, Goldmine, and all of the talented artists that she has met along the way and now calls friends. And after receiving a congratulatory text from Underwood when her single “I Hope” went No. 1, Barrett can’t help but keep that as a memorable moment of her career.
“When ‘I Hope’ went No. 1, Carrie texted me congrats,” Barrett recalled to People. “We keep in touch, and I think I can call her friend now. That’s pretty cool!”
Even Underwood labels Barrett as unique to herself with her soaring vocals, and even though they share similar looks, they are both stars in their own way.
“If I’m going to be compared to anybody, I hope it’s Carrie Underwood,” she explained to People. “But when I actually talked to her about how people compare me to her on American Idol, she said, ‘You know what? You have blonde hair, I have blonde hair. You have a big voice in country music, and so do I. But clearly there’s a difference between me and you — our voices don’t sound the same.’”
“She was like, ‘You have more grit and you have soul and a real R&B flare in your voice. It’s much different than mine,’” Barrett added. “She predicted that everything would be fine after American Idol for me.”
Barrett had plans to promote her debut album on the road this summer serving as support on Brad Paisley’s tour, however due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the tour has been postponed.
She said that they’re “taking it day by day” and that she is “trying to be cautious” herself as she suffers from “severe asthma.” She does however have high hopes that she will be able to perform for her fans this year sometime, “Hopefully some time this year we’ll be able to get to you.”
Barrett released her debut album, Goldmine, on June 19 and it made history, earning her the most first-week debut album streams for any country act in history.

Andrew Wendowski is the Founder and CEO of Music Mayhem. As a self-taught entrepreneur, he oversees content as the Editor-In-Chief for the independent brand. Wendowski, who splits time between Philadelphia, Penn., and Nashville, Tenn., has an extensive background in multimedia. Before launching Music Mayhem in 2014, he worked as a highly sought-after photojournalist and tour photographer, collaborating with such labels as Interscope Records and Republic Records. He has captured photos of some of the biggest names, including Taylor Swift, Metallica, Harry Styles, P!NK, Morgan Wallen, Carrie Underwood, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Shania Twain, and hundreds more. Wendowski’s photos and freelance work have appeared nationwide and can be seen everywhere from ad campaigns to various publications, including Billboard and Rolling Stone. When Wendowski isn’t running Music Mayhem, he enjoys spending time at concerts, traveling, and capturing photos.