Carrie Underwood On 'GMA': Talks New Album, Twitter, 'Blown Away Tour'

"American Idol" alum Carrie Underwood already has three albums that have been certified at least double platinum. "Blown Away," her fourth studio effort, is set to chart next week and it looks like favorable winds -- early sales and a tour announcement -- are sending her back to platinum country.

Carrie Underwood is at the top of her field and, by all indications, looks as if she should plan to stay there awhile. The Oklahoma multiple award-winning Female Vocalist of the Year (CMAs and ACMs) dropped her latest studio effort, Blown Away, Tuesday following a little advance warning via hit single "Good Girl" and appearances on the American Country Music Awards and "The Late Show with David Letterman." She's also wasted no time in letting her fans know that there's an upcoming tour looming on the horizon, set to launch in September.

Underwood made the announcement on ABC's "Good Morning America" on the same day her album dropped. She performed for the morning show in Times Square, singing her current hit "Good Girl" and the more whimsical "Cupid's Got A Shotgun."

When asked what should be expected of Blown Away, she said, "Fourteen tracks of awesome, pretty much," following the overstatement with a self-effacing laugh. She also noted that the album was full of different sounds and tempos, taking "people on a rollercoaster." And she agreed with "GMA" host Robin Roberts that there were some "angry" Carrie Underwood songs on the new album as well.

Speaking of which, in anticipation of her newest release, her second album, Carnival Ride sold another 2,000 copies this week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Her last album, Play On, matched it. But her bestselling debut, Some Hearts, sold 3,000 units and reentered the Billboard 200 albums chart. All told, Underwood has sold over 12.5 million albums in the United States and over 14 million worldwide.

Her latest single (and first off of Blown Away), the follow-up to the No. 2 and Grammy nominated "Mama's Song," is currently headed toward the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, the same place she's parked 14 previous songs.

After dishing that dates for a Fall tour would be released shortly, Underwood admitted that she had recently joined Twitter and found it "fun to have that instant connection and instant interaction." She said she had to take some ribbing from fellow country star Brad Paisley because of her late-to-the-party status. Paisley recently posted that the Mayans were right -- the world was coming to an end and Underwood's account with Twitter was proof.

He also posted on Tuesday his critiique of Blown Away: "@carrieunderwood has a new album out today. She sings like a bird. Actually a loon."

Paisley also guests on the album on "Cupid's Got A Shotgun," which Underwood co-wrote. The two have co-hosted the Country Music Association Awards for the past four years and are slated to do so again. They also performed the No. 1 Billboard country hit "Remind Me" from Paisley's last album, This Is Country Music.

The 29-year-old who won "American Idol" during its fourth season has come a long way from that hopeful young woman that judge Simon Cowell predicted would become the biggest star from the show. And now that his prediction has come true, she's also taken more control of her music, writing eight of the 14 tracks on the new album. That's a far cry from the one song she co-penned on her first album. Still, Blown Away will have a long road ahead of it to reach the kind of platinum country her first album has achieved. To date, Some Hearts has sold nearly 7.2 million copies.

Her last two albums scored the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 (Some Hearts peaked at No. 2). All of them hit No. 1 on the Country Albums chart.

For more information on Carrie Underwood's upcoming tour, stay updated via her official website, CarrieUnderwoodOfficial.com. On May 3, she returned to the show that launched her career, performing the title track from Blown Away on the Season 11 Top 5 results show, and announced that tickets for the tour would go on sale on May 11.

(photo credit: Keith Hinkle, Wikimedia Commons)

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