Originally appeared on E! Online
Carrie Underwood is going back to her roots—literally.
The American Idol judge traded in her signature golden locks for a brownish blonde 'do on Aug. 4, revealing that this was the first time in 30 years she had rocked the hair color.
"Well, the last time I saw my natural hair color, I was probably about 12 years old," Carrie wrote on Instagram alongside pictures of her newly tinted tresses, "but I thought it might be time to give it a second chance."
Thanking Nashville-based colorist Katelin August for "helping me get back to my roots," the 42-year-old added in her caption, "#NewOldMe."
Indeed, Carrie has waited quite some time to play with her look. As she put it Refinery 29 in 2012, "I'd love to do a little more with hair color. I've always been blonde! The problem is, I don't want to shock people––like if I dyed my hair brown, I don't want people to think I'm turning dark and serious."
More from E! Online
"I wish I had started changing my hair around in the beginning," she added, "then it wouldn't be such a big shock if I did something like that now."
In fact, the "Before He Cheats" singer has sometimes felt that she was locked into a specific look.
"I feel like there were a lot of interesting hair things that happened to me when I was on Idol," Carrie—who first appeared on the singing competition in 2005—told Redbook in 2013. "That was my first time having anybody fix my hair."
She continued, "I had a lot of big hair. And I like big hair, but I wouldn't go back there again."
And a lot of that has to do with being a mom to sons Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 6, with husband Mike Fisher.
"Cutting my hair was a 'mom' move," she explained to Elle in 2016 after removing her hair extensions. "I could spend half an hour to blow it dry and have it be super long, or I could spend that time playing with my son, and I'd much rather do the latter."
For more dramatic celebrity hair transformations, keep reading...
Carrie Underwood
Trading in her signature golden locks, the country music star wrote on Instagram in August 2025, "Well, the last time I saw my natural hair color, I was probably about 12 years old, but I thought it might be time to give it a second chance."
Jason Momoa
In July 2025, the actor shaved off his beard for the first time in six years to film Dune: Part Three, which required him to rock a clean shaven look to reprise his role of Duncan Idaho.
Kelly Clarkson
The American Idol winner debuted a shorter hairdo in a July 2025 The Voice promo, trading her signature blonde waves for a shorter, darker bob style.
Chris Pratt
The actor debuted a bearded look, which he sports on season two of The Terminal List, in June 2025.
Finn Wolfhard
The Stranger Things star changed up his trademark shaggy hairstyle in May 2025 by debuting a buzzcut at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo, Japan.
Sebastian Stan
The Marvel actor said goodbye to Bucky Barnes' signature long hair in April 2025, showing off a shaved head at the Los Angeles premiere of Thunderbolts*.
JoJo Siwa
In March 2025, the "Karma" singer debuted her rainbow mohawk at the GLAAD Media Awards.
Emily Ratajkowski
In a March 2025 TikTok video, the model called this 'do with shaggy bangs the "worst haircut of my life."
Gypsy Rose Blanchard
The Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup star debuted a short bob in March 2025, more than two months after giving birth to her and fiancé Ken Urker's first child, daughter Aurora Urker.
Whitney Rose
The formerly blond Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star debuted a red bob on Watch What Happens Live in January 2025.
Hailey Bieber
The model debuted lighter locks in September 2024, a month after giving birth to her and Justin Bieber's first baby, son Jack Blues Bieber.
Lily Collins
The Emily in Paris star debuted her dramatic transformation at the world premiere of her new horror movie, MAXXXINE, in June 2024.
"Changing my hair always brings out different sides of my personality and I love playing around," Lily told Vogue. "This cut and color feels bolder and yet somehow lighter. And completely more me—right now."
Katie Holmes
While attending Chanel's Tribeca Film Festival Artists dinner in June 2024, Katie debuted a subtle, yet striking transformation of rich caramel balayage highlights that were blended throughout her brunette tresses.
Kylie Jenner
The Kardashians star debuted a platinum blonde look and a bob haircut after rocking waist-length strands for quite some time.
"Did someone say they missed king kylie," Kylie teased in the caption of her June 8 Instagram post, to which her sister Khloe Kardashian cheekily replied, "I did! I did!!!!!!"
Lisa Rinna
The former Bravo star debuted a platinum blonde look during 2024 Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture.
Priyanka Chopra
The Heads of State star debuted a drastic haircut—a shoulder-grazing bob—while attending a Bulgari event in Rome i May 2024.
Jessica Biel
In May 2024, the actress chopped her hair into a bob that many fans on social media said reminded them of one of the looks she sported as Mary Camden on the '90s series 7th Heaven.
Megan Fox
The Transformers actress returned to her dark brown tresses and debuted a sassy bob in May 2024, a month after she dyed her hair blue to enter what she dubbed her "Jedi era."
Dannielynn Birkhead
At age 17, the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith debuted a new lob hairstyle overnight during 2024 Kentucky Derby weekend, which she attended with dad Larry Birkhead.
Demi Lovato
The singer debuted a lighter, shorter 'do in April 2024.
Kelly Osbourne
The Fashion Police alum debuted a blonde bombshell hair transformation May 8.
Kim Kardashian
Back to blonde: Kim debuted a new platinum 'do in April 2024.
Rihanna
The Fenty Beauty founder debuted a bright blonde hair transformation April 17 while celebrating her latest Fenty x Puma collection in London.
Delilah Belle Hamlin
The model debuted a bleach blonde pixie cut at the FRAME event April 4.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Comments