Country music star Carrie Underwood, season 4 American Idol winner and ACM Top Female Vocalist 2008, made a triumphant return to American Idol, singing “Last Name” her new single, on American Idol 7 season finale on May 21, 2008.

[Carrie Underwood] sang “Bless The Broken Road” and “Independence Day” during finals night when she won the competition in May 2005. She also delivered “Don’t Forget To Remember Me” during the season’s last installment in 2006, and sang a pair of songs on the closing show last year. Carrie, in fact, was voted America’s favorite “Idol” graduate in a poll released yesterday by AOL Television, named by 54 percent of 1.3 million respondents. Runner-up Kelly Clarkson finished second with 26 percent.

Carrie is also likely to appear on the ABC special, “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock.” The annual program features concert material from the CMA’s fan spectacular June 5-8. Among other acts appearing at the nightly concerts — making them strong candidates for the special — are Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Source: Carrie Underwood Returns to “Idol”

For more on American Idol 7 season finale and American Idol results, see:

• Backstage at the American Idol finale
• ‘Idol’ finale scores big ratings; peak time draws 36+ million
• At the ‘American Idol’ finale, one last chance to squeal

Carrie Underwood was recently named ACM Top Female Vocalist 2008; see related post for more news and video of her big victory at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

• Video: Academy of Country Music Awards - ACM Award Winners 2008

Video: Carrie Underwood on American Idol 7 Finale 5-21-08 - Sings “Last Name”