Carrie Underwood almost quit ‘American Idol’ due to her nerves about the finals.

The 37-year-old singer rose to fame after competing in, and winning, the fourth season of the talent competition in 2005, but has now revealed her life could have been very different, as she almost walked away from her ‘American Idol’ audition because she was so scared about performing to a large audience.

Recalling the moment she decided to audition for the show, she said: "The summer before my senior year, I was home one day, watching TV and saw a news segment about people auditioning for the show 'American Idol', I checked online. The closest auditions were being held in St. Louis. 'How far away is St. Louis?' I asked my mom. 'Six or seven hours in the car,' she said. Too far, I thought. Out of the question. 'Why do you want to know?' Mom asked. 'They're having 'American Idol' auditions there.' 'I'll take you.' Just like that.”

Carrie said she expected the process to be easy, but was left “terrified” of performing in front of the judging panel, and very nearly decided not to go to her audition.

She added to GuidePosts magazine: "It would be easy to say the rest is history, that it was meant to be. But it didn't feel like that at the time. Going through a slew of auditions in St. Louis, getting the 'golden ticket' to Hollywood, every contestant's dream, I was terrified. Every time I had to sing in front of the judges I'd get nervous the way I did in church that first time. Then I'd say a prayer and leave it in God's hands. 

"All at once it was just too much. Going out to Los Angeles by myself, competing with all these other people who were so talented. I burst into tears. My dad turned to me in the backseat. 'Carrie,' he said, 'we can go home right now, and we don't ever have to talk about it again.' I took a deep breath. 'No,' I said at last. 'I'll go.’ ”