Carrie Underwood

Country star Carrie Underwood made her first red carpet appearance in quite some time at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas on Friday night.

There, she debuted her brand-new hairstyle!

The 28-year-old traded her signature center-part hairstyle for a set of rounded bangs grazing her eyebrows and a glossy blowout. She looks amazing.

Then again, she also did before. Carrie can clearly pull off either look. Which do you prefer, though? That's for you to decide in THG's survey below!

Forbes has released its annual list of the top earning American Idol stars, and Carrie Underwood leads the whole field by leaps and bounds.

In fact, the country star earned so much more than any other Idol, the top four money-makers after Carrie barely eclipse her total combined.

Below is the list of top Idol earners from May 2010-May 2011. Note the lack of the last three winners of the competition from the top 10 ...

1. Carrie Underwood – $20 million
2. (tie) Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry – $6 million
4. Fantasia Barrino – $4 million
5. Jordin Sparks – $3 million
6. Kelly Clarkson – $2.5 million
7. Jennifer Hudson – $2 million
8. Kellie Pickler – $1.8 million
9. Clay Aiken – $1.5 million
10. (tie) Katharine McPhee, David Archuleta, David Cook – $1 million

Lauren Alaina may not have won American Idol last night, but the aspiring country star earned a pretty solid consolation prize: she got to sing in front of millions with her own idol.

Indeed, Carrie Underwood returned to the stage that made her famous and teamed up with the young singer for a fun duet of "Before He Cheats."

While Lauren is talented, and hopefully has a long career in front of her, it's amazing to watch the difference between this finalist and an experienced artist such as Underwood. It's impossible not to notice the contrast in voice and swagger between the performers below.

Then again, Alaina is only 16. She may get to Carrie's level someday...

Carrie Underwood & Lauren Alaina - Before He Cheats

Not unlike how Haley Reinhart sang Lady Gaga, Lauren Alaina picked an atypical song from a current powerhouse chart-topper last night on American Idol.

With Carrie Underwood's "Flat on the Floor," Lauren sounded more energized than she has in weeks. For all intents and purposes, she channeled Carrie well.

"Lauren, that is the direction for you!" Randy says. "This direction I agree with 100 percent.. I thought it was amazing." The "sky's the limit," Steven added:

Lauren Alaina - Flat on the Floor (American Idol)

Her throwback to yesteryear was "Unchained Melody." It's her parents' song, she says, and Sheryl Crow notes that the song requires a lot of maturity.

It does, but Lauren Alaina was ready. No wonder she's made it to the top five - and we have to imagine the top four after this evening's results show.

Watch her sing the Righteous Brothers classic below ...

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The famously private Carrie Underwood opens up about her marriage to NHL player Mike Fisher in the new issue of Us. Not sure how they got her to agree to that.

Perhaps to clear the air about their marriage being on the rocks? It's been reported several times, and while she says it's not true, maybe the rumor got to her.

The American Idol winner does admit that it's been a challenge ...

After nine months as long-distance newlyweds, Fisher was traded from Ottawa to Nashville in February. Carrie Underwood has been giddy ever since.

"It was like, he's coming to live with me! I can go to work, he can go to work, and we can both come home, and we'll be together," she gushed to Us.

But rooming together in her gated Brentwood, Tennessee, development, though joyous, has led to some growing pains and difficulties as well.

"To be honest, on our days off, we just hang out. Just learning how to live together has been fun and frustrating and everything in between."

They watch TV and read the Bible, says a source, who adds, "They're not into partying." As for kids, she's in no hurry: "We have plenty of time!"

Rihanna and ... Jennifer Nettles? Carrie Underwood and ... Steven Tyler?

Not exactly tandems you might expect to perform together, but both duos held their own and then some at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Here's Rihanna and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland fame, rocking "California King Bed" before a packed house at the 46th annual industry gala in Vegas ...

Rihanna & Jennifer Nettles - California King Bed

Follow the jump for Carrie and Steven - American Idol stars past and present - performing a medley of "Undo it" and "Walk This Way" at the event.

They actually sounded pretty good together ...

Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert were the big winners Sunday night at the Academy of Country Music Awards. But who'll win a style showdown from the event?

Below, we pit the amazing, Grammy-winning Carrie Underwood against the gorgeous, Sports Illustrated cover-modeling Brooklyn Decker. Enough said, right?

It's going to be a tough call, with both of these women looking just stunning last night. Let your votes decide the winner of this THG Fashion Face-Off now ...

A trio of THG favorites, all famous for very different reasons, celebrate a birthday today.

First, Mad Men star and Saturday Night Live host extraordinaire, Jon Hamm, turns the big 4-0. Does it get any cooler, funnier and more talented than this TV icon?

Next, House actress Olivia Wilde is now 27, as she's seen her career take off over the past year with a steady role on that Fox hit, along with lead in the sequel to Tron. We like when she poses naked.

Finally, Carrie Underwood, the most successful American Idol champion in history and a natural beauty, hits the age of 28. Send in your birthday wishes to these three stalwarts now!

Two beautiful singers. One red carpet.

Both Lea Michele and Carrie Underwood - gorgeous women whose voice helped them rise to fame on a Fox program - walked the red carpet of last night's Golden Globe Awards, each donning a long, flowing dress.

The former cried on multiple occasions during the ceremony, first when co-star Chris Colfer won and then when Glee was named Best Comedy/Musical. Will she shed tears of joy over a victory in this Fashion Face-Off? Only if you cast your vote in Lea's direction...

Carrie Underwood makes her big screen debut in Soul Surfer.

Co-starring Dennis Quaid and opening on April 15, the film is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a young woman who loses her arm in a shark attack and then finds the courage to re-enter the ocean.

The former American Idol champion actually has acted before. She guest-starred on an episode of How I Met Your Mother in early 2010. Below, get a look at her in Soul Surfer.

Soul Surfer Trailer