Radio Disney/Image Group LAWhen Gabby Barrett‘s “I Hope” hit number one on the country charts, she got a special message from a fellow American Idol alum and country superstar: Carrie Underwood.
In an interview with People, Gabby reveals that their mentor-mentee relationship has since blossomed into a friendship, with the “Cry Pretty” singer sending Gabby a congratulatory text about the song’s success.
“When ‘I Hope’ went number one, Carrie texted me congrats,” Gabby shares. “We keep in touch, and I think I can call her friend now. That’s pretty cool!”
Gabby, who was mentored by the season four American Idol winner while competing on season 16 of the show when it was rebooted by ABC in 2018, adds that Carrie offered her some words of wisdom regarding people who compare the two powerhouse country vocalists.
“You have a big voice in country music, and so do I. But clearly there’s a difference between me and you. Our voices don’t sound the same,” Carrie advised.
“She was like, ‘You have more grit and you have soul and a real R&B flare in your voice. It’s much different than mine,'” Gabby continues. “She predicted that everything would be fine after American Idol for me.”
Gabby released her debut album, Goldmine, on June 19. During a livestream album release party Tuesday night, Gabby was surprised with plaques commemorating gold and platinum status for “I Hope.”
By Cillea Houghton
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