The contestants who get voted off "American Idol" frequently talk about how they'll use the "Idol" experience to further their music careers, which makes Carrie Underwood's rise through the FOX series all the more impressive.

Prior to winning "Idol," Carrie was going to school to become a journalist, and she says that had she not won the competition, she probably would have continued on her original path, knowing that a music career is never guaranteed.

"I love being in and around music," she told The Toronto Star, "but from a practical standpoint, there are so many people that love music and love to sing or play an instrument, but the odds of it actually happening aren't too good. And at the time, I don't know if I had enough confidence in myself to pursue it. I would have graduated and gotten a job, and I would have been happy with that as well, just because I'm that kind of person. But this is a lot better."

Carrie's Some Hearts album has been certified for shipments of more than 7 million copies, making it the most successful CD ever by an "Idol" graduate. Meanwhile, she joins the Grand Ole Opry on May 10.