Carrie Underwood on Her All-Girl Cry Pretty Tour Roster: ‘I Believe in These Women’

When Carrie Underwood began plotting her 2019 Cry Pretty 360 Tour, her main goal was to create a memorable experience for fans. She didn't necessarily set out to build an all-female lineup, but wanted acts she respects musically and knows the audience will connect to. She found these qualities in Runaway June and Maddie & Tae.

The "Wild West" trio and "Girl in a Country Song" duo helped bring her vision to life.

"I chose some ladies to go out with us, but it's because they're super talented. It was mainly about putting together a great show and it's an added bonus that they're all women," Underwood explains.

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The superstar called upon Runaway June to be part of her all-female band during a performance of "Dirty Laundry" at the 2016 CMA Awards, and she often crosses paths with Maddie & Tae. After getting to know them on a professional and personal level, Underwood respects what the rising stars bring to the table and believes in the power of women supporting women. She's also hoping to have a moment in her 2019 shows where they unite on stage to pay tribute to the influential women that paved the way for them.

"I definitely feel like we need to lift each other up and support each other," the powerhouse singer says. "I believe in these women and hopefully they'll continue to have more and more doors open for them because they deserve it."

Underwood will mix things up by bringing her new baby out on the road with her. She announced in August of 2018 that she and husband Mike Fisher are expecting their second child. She experienced what it's like to be a mother on the road during her 2016 Storyteller Tour — then-11-month-old Isaiah traveled, too. Underwood would find herself going to bed late after a show and waking up in the wee hours of the morning with him while still trying to find time for her own routine. Though she has extra hands on tour, the singer admits she doesn't always utilize the assistance.

"Nobody ever got up with my kid in the middle of the night. That was me, and I'm proud of that," she states.

With a jam-packed schedule from May through October that includes 54 dates across North America, Underwood knows it will be hectic balancing tour life with mom life. But she's up for the challenge.

"I was tired and it was hard, and it's going to be really hard again," she admits. "But that's just what moms do. You figure out how to juggle."

The Cry Pretty 360 Tour launches May 1, 2019, in Greensboro, N.C., in support of her new Cry Pretty album.

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