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Carrie Underwood just opened up about the one part of touring that always makes her sad. The 43-year-old country legend revealed during a Nashville press conference that choosing which songs to cut from her setlist is the hardest emotional challenge she faces. With over a dozen No. 1 hits and a massive catalog, she’s constantly struggling with this bittersweet decision.
🔥 Quick Facts
- The Challenge: Choosing which songs NOT to perform when touring, despite having over 60 singles released in her career
- Star’s Age: Music legend Carrie Underwood is 43 years old with a catalog spanning two decades
- Recent Residency: She wrapped her Las Vegas Reflection residency last year, featuring over 70 shows at Resorts World
- Typical Setlist: Her tours feature more than 20 songs, including hits like Before He Cheats, Jesus, Take the Wheel, and Cowboy Casanova
The Impossible Setlist Dilemma
Carrie Underwood faces a unique touring problem that most artists would dream about having. During a recent Nashville media event, the American Idol winner revealed that “the hardest part of touring is figuring out what songs you’re not going to do.” With such an extensive discography spanning more than 20 years in the music industry, selecting which tracks make the cut is emotionally taxing. She explained that “I always get sad. I’m like, ‘Aww, we’re not gonna do that one?'” The decision requires balancing fan expectations with fresh material.
Underwood acknowledges the physical reality behind her setlist struggles. “I can’t be on stage for four hours singing my songs,” she joked during the press conference. “After two hours of my songs, I’m like, ‘Eww,’ and, ‘I’m hurtin’.” Even a consummate professional like Underwood has physical limits during performances.
Carrie Underwood reveals what makes her saddest on tour: ‘It always gets me’
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A Catalog Too Big to Share
When you’re Carrie Underwood with over a dozen No. 1 hits on country charts, the setlist problem becomes a luxury problem. Her last major tour in support of her Denim & Rhinestones album ran from 2022 to 2023, featuring more than 20 songs per night. That’s an impressive amount of material, yet still didn’t cover her entire catalog. Tracks like Before He Cheats, Jesus, Take the Wheel, and Cowboy Casanova are concert staples. However, deeper cuts and newer songs sometimes don’t make the final setlist. The emotional weight of leaving fan favorites off the stage hits Underwood hard every tour cycle.
Her extensive release history makes every setlist decision painful. Underwood has released over 60 singles to radio throughout her career, combined with hundreds of song credits. This means practically every selection feels like rejecting something her fans love and she’s proud of.
Balancing New Music with Fan Favorites
One of the core emotional challenges Underwood faces is finding the perfect balance. She explained that touring requires “finding that perfect balance of just enough new stuff and obviously the ones that people expect to hear.” This constant negotiation between introducing fresh material and delivering career-spanning hits creates an ongoing internal conflict. Fans want to hear her biggest songs, but Underwood also wants space to promote newer work and keep concerts fresh. The compromise leaves her feeling conflicted every single night.
| Aspect | Details |
| Recent Tour | Denim & Rhinestones Tour (2022-2023) |
| Las Vegas Residency | Reflection at Resorts World (70+ shows, ended April 2025) |
| Current Status | No major tour plans for 2026, focusing on family time |
| Typical Setlist Length | 20+ songs per night |
The emotional toll shows when discussing setlist cuts with fans and media. Underwood is deeply connected to every song she’s recorded, and saying goodbye to any track for a given night feels like letting fans down on a personal level.
“The hardest part of touring is figuring out what songs you’re not going to do. Finding that perfect balance of just enough new stuff and obviously the ones that people expect to hear, but I always get sad.”
— Carrie Underwood, Country Music Legend, at Nashville Press Conference
Why This Emotional Weight Matters for Touring Artists
For touring artists, setlist selection reveals deeper values about their relationships with their catalog and fans. Underwood is not being dramatic about feeling sad, she’s recognizing a genuine creative and emotional challenge. Every song represents a moment in time, a story, and for her fans, a memory. Removing a track from a 46-city tour means fans in certain cities might not hear their song, the one that got them through a difficult time. This reality weighs heavily on Underwood‘s conscience. Her transparency about these feelings shows vulnerability and demonstrates she’s not just going through the motions on stage.
The touring industry often glosses over these emotional realities, focusing instead on ticket sales and logistics. But Carrie Underwood is willing to admit that crafting the perfect setlist is a bittersweet responsibility. She balances professional obligations, physical limitations, and emotional connections to every song in her vault, creating an impossible daily choice.
What Does the Future Hold for Carrie’s Tour Plans?
Underwood announced that 2026 will not include major touring dates as she prioritizes family time with her husband, Mike Fisher, and their two sons. However, she continues making select appearances including Grand Ole Opry performances starting in June 2026. The absence of a full tour might actually give her a break from the annual setlist dilemma that weighs so heavily on her heart. When she does return to touring, fans can expect the same emotional deliberation, the same careful balancing act, and ultimately, another night of tough decisions about which beloved songs make the stage.
Sources
- People.com – Original interview with Carrie Underwood about touring challenges and setlist decisions
- Taste of Country – Nashville press conference coverage on emotional aspects of setlist planning
- Star Magazine – Extended commentary on Carrie’s touring challenges and fan expectations
