‘American Idol’ notes: Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery, and season 12

Ready to go country for our new edition of “American Idol” notes? Well, we’re starting things off with two of the most-popular winners ever, and they each happen to be a part of this popular genre.

Carrie Underwood’s video preview – Are you ready to see what Carrie has in store for us next? Well, the season 4 champ is going to be releasing an epic new music video for her song “Two Black Cadillacs” in January, and she shared a teaser (ironically enough) on Black Friday. We personally love just how cinematic and theatrical Carrie is getting with her videos; she is treating them like art rather than just an easy video to make and put on the internet. This song in particular is dark, Gothic  and the representation of it thus far is in a word interesting.

Scotty celebrates Christmas – Scotty McCreery recently filmed a Christmas special for GAC at the Beacon Theater in New York, and appropriately, he chose to invite a New Yorker and fellow season 10 contestant to take part in the action in Pia Toscano. How does Pia not have an album yet? While Scotty’s voice is of course distinct and spectacular, so is Pia’s. The performance here is of the Christmas classic “Let It Snow.”

A season 12 preview – Let’s close things off with the season 12 judging panel, which just so happens to include a country music superstar in Keith Urban. As you can see in the video below, Mariah Carey, Keith Urban, and Randy Jackson all seem to have a pretty good relationship together. As for Nicki Minaj … let’s just say that she did her interview separately, but insists that 99% of time the panel has gotten along and enjoy one another’s company.