Carrie Underwood got an emotional surprise during Sunday night’s (March 16) episode of American Idol. Like many of the moments on her journey as a judge thus far, it was a call-back to one of her favorite Idol memories.

Show host Ryan Seacrest introduced the surprise, walking Underwood through the backstage area of the Idol set and out toward a rooftop stage.

As they walked, he recalled her 2012 visit with the PS22 Chorus, a Webby-winning children’s chorus based out of a Staten Island, New York City public elementary school.
Underwood visited the group at their school in April 2012, and they sang her songs “Good Girl” and “So Small” together. Footage from the performance was included in her VH1 Behind the Music documentary, and the kids also joined her to sing “So Small” during a New York City-area concert in December 2012.

Underwood was completely surprised when she saw the current PS22 Chorus lineup standing on risers on the outdoor stage, along with director Gregg Breinberg, the same leader that the group had when Underwood first met them.
“And they’re gonna perform for you this time,” Seacrest told Underwood.
“What?!” she replied.

The chorus once again sang Underwood’s “So Small,” a tender 2007 ballad about how love surmounts all the rest of life’s problems and hardships.

“Oh my gosh. This is so beautiful,” said a visibly moved Underwood, before joining them to sing a chorus of the song — just like she did 13 years ago, before this iteration of PS22 kids were even born yet.

The singer was wiping away tears by the end of the song.

“I’m sorry! They got me,” she said, going in for a hug with Breinberg before turning towards the kids.

“Thank you. You guys just gave me the biggest gift,” she told them.

Underwood shared a photo she snapped with the PS22 kids to her Instagram Stories, and she praised their performance on X, writing, “Such a sweet surprise! Those kiddos did such an incredible job.”

It’s Underwood’s first season as a judge on American Idol, but of course, she’s not new to the show: She was the Idol champ in 2005, and her return also marks the 20th anniversary of her career-launching win.