Carrie Underwood Works Through Performance Jitters

Posted by Katie Ball on 12/05/2008
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Country singer Carrie Underwood talked with the Tennessean’s Beverly Keel recently about what goes through her head before she goes onstage and how she’s overcome nerves when performing for her peers and fans alike.  “Usually before live TV performances are when it’s the worst,” Underwood told Keel. “About halfway through the song, those go away. There’s a lot of adrenaline going through my body. Sometimes my left leg will shake uncontrollably if I am really nervous. It feels like it’s bigger than it really is. When I watch it back, I’m like ‘Aw, you can barely see it.’”  Underwood has had immense amounts of success in 2008, including co-hosting the 2008 CMA Awards with fellow star Brad Paisley. For someone who has sold more than 10 million albums, getting the pre-performance jitters is something she’s had to work out. She cited watching others perform and seeing how they handle things as providing the biggest help to her.  Underwood also talked with Keel about the hardest part of performing onstage for her -- talking with the crowd. “How do you have a conversation with several thousand people? I think I’m a lot better now and a lot more comfortable onstage,” said Underwood. “Just accepting the fact that those people are there to see me has helped.”