JMarie Turns ‘Before He Cheats’ Into A ‘Hood Anthem,’ Stuns Carrie Underwood And Fellow Judges On ‘American Idol’
“I forgot about myself ever having sung that song and it was like I’d heard it for the first time,” Underwood told JMarie.
JMarie, Carrie Underwood; Photos Courtesy American Idol, ABC
American Idol auditions continued on Sunday evening and contestant JMarie delivered a unique rendition of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” in front of Underwood herself and her performance left Underwood’s jaw on the floor.
Brooklyn native JMarie, 28, stepped into the audition room with confidence and announced the song she was about to perform.
“Well, this is a hood anthem. Carrie. I’m sorry. It is,” the contestant told Underwood and fellow judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
Bryan questioned, “A hood anthem?”
Without skipping a beat, JMarie replied, “Yes, honey. It is. And it’s “‘Before He Cheats.’”
Bryan looked at Underwood and asked, Have you ever had it called a hood [anthem]?”
Smiling, Underwood told him, I don’t think so. Hey, I love it!”
“All my girls on the block. We know that song. Word for word. It speaks to us, Carrie. It speaks to us,” she assured the superstar.
JMarie delivered a soulful rendition of the chart-topping tune, accompanied by a piano. Slowing it down and infusing it with emotion, she showcased her impressive vocal range and flawless vocal runs.
Her performance clearly impressed the judges, who smiled and nodded along the entire time. They even offered her a standing ovation at the end.
Underwood was the first to offer feedback.
“I’m going to be real honest, I was a little worried coming into sitting here that people would sing my songs to me,” she began.
“But you made it your own. I forgot about myself ever having sung that song and it was like I’d heard it for the first time and that was… It was effortless. Amazing.”
Underwood also told her, “I’m mad at you for not trying out sooner.”
The 28-year-old got emotional and admitted that she was once told that she wasn’t “pretty enough” or “slim enough” to audition.
“I just psyched myself out and I was scared,” she told them.
Calming her emotions, Bryan said, “We’re glad you’re here,” while Richie added, “You made it yours….you slayed it.”
Before the judges had a chance to vote, Bryan added, “From here on out, I think you take all your worries of stuff that people have done to hold you back…Just shed all that because that was a very great job.”
JMaire earned a unanimous “yes” from the judges panel, securing her ticket to Hollywood.
As she approached the table to grab her golden ticket, JMarie bowed to Underwood, saying, “Thank you, my queen.”
American Idol airs on Sundays and Mondays on ABC at 8/7c.
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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