Hannah Harper isn’t slowing down anytime soon after taking home the crown on season 24 of “American Idol.” Harper, who fans adored since her audition, is set to go on a huge tour, kicking off in June with two shows in Arkansas and running through November, ending in Tennessee.
But before she and her family hit the road to perform across the U.S., Harper is gearing up for one major career milestone. The Idol winner is set to make her official Grand Ole Opry debut on June 2, stepping onto one of country music’s most iconic stages.
Hannah Harper to Make Opry Debut Alongside Carrie Underwood
“American Idol” winner Hannah Harper is preparing for a monumental career milestone as she makes her Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville on June 2. According to the Opry’s website, Harper will be joined by “American Idol” judge Carrie Underwood and singer Avery Anna as she performs on country music’s most celebrated stages.
Harper has already made history after her Idol win. She became just the second female country singer to ever win the competition, since Underwood, who won in 2005. “It’s crazy. And I am the first female country artist since Carrie, so that’s 20 years. So I feel like I have really big shoes to fill,” she told USA Today.
She added, “But also what a badge of honor. Like, that’s incredible, and I hope that I make that genre proud, but also glorify God at the same time, because I’ve been given this amazing platform to do so. It’s just an honor to be here.”
Harper now joins a long list of beloved “American Idol” contestants who have stepped onto the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage. Current Opry members include Underwood, Scotty McCreery, and Lauren Alaina, while fan-favorite Idol alums like Kellie Pickler have also delivered memorable performances.
In fact, season 23 runner-up John Foster has already made 10 appearances at the Opry. During his tenth performance in April, Foster even joked on an Instagram post, “Getting a coffee mug for passing 10 shows, I don’t think I’ll ever drink out of anything better.”
Underwood Shares What She Loves About Harper
Carrie Underwood had been a huge supporter of Harper’s ever since her “American Idol” audition, where she sang a relatable song about motherhood, titled “String Cheese.” The performance even left Underwood in tears.
The season 4 winner later shared why it was easy to understand how Harper captured America’s vote week after week, ultimately leading her to win it all. According to Underwood, it was the Missouri natives’ relatability and down-to-earth personality.
“I mean, it’s kind of hard when people start talking about like having ‘it’ or having you know, like the total package. I mean, yes, she’s gorgeous, but it’s like she would walk in and it’s this unassuming beauty, you can tell she prioritizes her family,” she shared.
Underwood continued, “She’s a really good songwriter, people just relate to her, and all of those things that encompass together is what gives someone it, and she just has it.”
Now, Harper is getting ready to go on tour, mainly hitting small towns across the U.S.
While speaking at her hometown visit in Willow Springs before the Idol finale, Harper shared that while she was excited to tour, her priority was spending quality time with her family. “I think that the goal right now is to be able to breathe for a minute and have quality time with my kids after we get out of this. That’s my main goal, and then hit the road with them and give them all the experiences of road life as I had as a little gal,” she shared.
