Carrie Underwood spots potential ‘Next Taylor Swift’ on American Idol

Carrie Underwood may have just discovered the next big thing in country-pop. During the latest episode of American Idol Season 23, 18-year-old contestant Zaylie Windsor captivated the judges with her original song, The Used, performed acoustically.

The judges—Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, and Underwood—were impressed when Windsor revealed she had written the song at just 14 years old. Richie praised her talent, saying, “You showed us a lot in your voice. You can go from being small and focused to, like, soaring. I’m impressed at the song, as well. I feel like you’ve got a lot of artistry in there.”

However, Bryan remained unconvinced, expressing doubts about whether she was ready for the competition. “Gosh, I don’t think she’s quite ready,” he admitted, critiquing the song’s lyrics as reflecting “a 14-year-old level of song to me.”

Underwood, however, came to Windsor’s defense, comparing her to one of the biggest names in music. “There’s a Taylor Swift-esque quality that she has,” Underwood argued. “She doesn’t have this giant vibrato, belty voice, but there’s something in there. If she did that at 14, she must have a lot of other things in her arsenal that she could bring to the table.”

Her passionate endorsement helped Windsor secure a golden ticket to Hollywood with two “yes” votes, giving her a shot at proving she has what it takes to be the next breakout star.