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- Carrie Underwood got emotional during the Monday, Feb. 2 episode of American Idol<\/em><\/li>\n
- Hannah Harper auditioned with an original song called “String Cheese” about a personal struggle with postpartum depression<\/li>\n
- “Well, that\u2019s about the most relatable song I think I\u2019ve ever heard,” said Underwood<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
One of the latest American Idol<\/a> <\/em>contestants left Carrie Underwood<\/a> in tears.<\/p>\n
Hannah Harper auditioned for the judging panel of Underwood, Luke Bryan<\/a> and Lionel Richie<\/a> on the Monday, Feb. 2 episode of American Idol <\/em>with an original song called “String Cheese” about a personal struggle with postpartum depression.<\/p>\n
“You\u2019re, like, my favorite person,” said Underwood, 42, before Harper, 25, began to sing. “You\u2019re wearing homemade clothes, you\u2019re singing songs called \u2018String Cheese.\u2019”<\/p>\n
![\"Carrie](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/raP_w2GT47sUwqpEP9Ye7Ih6P9Q=\/fit-in\/1280x960\/carrie-underwood-american-idol-020426-4ae2e82b40444ac9a8f01bdb7f6d9dc0.jpg\" "\\"Carrie")
Carrie Underwood <\/i>\n ABC<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Harper, a stay-at-home mom from Willow Springs, Mo., explained the meaning behind the song. “My youngest is 1, and shortly after he was born I had postpartum depression, and so I was sitting on my couch \u2014 I said I wasn\u2019t gonna cry,” she said, getting choked up.<\/p>\n
“I was sitting on my couch wallowing, and you have boys, you know. Everybody wants to touch you, and I didn\u2019t want to be touched. And my youngest son, I was just having a pity party, praying that the Lord would calm my spirit, and my son kept coming up to me,” she added. “He said, \u2018Mom, open this. Open my cheese.\u2019 I\u2019m like, \u2018Leave me alone with the doggone cheese.\u2019”<\/p>\n
Harper continued, “And I finally opened his cheese, and when I did I realized God had put me in that place, and that where I was in my house was the biggest ministry that I could ever have in being a mom. So, I gathered myself, and I got up off the couch, and I quit throwing a pity party, and I realized that was exactly what I wanted.”<\/p>\n
“And I kind of kicked the postpartum depression in the butt, and I said, \u2018I ain\u2019t doing it,'” she concluded, eyes filling with tears.<\/p>\n
“Do you need a second?” asked Underwood. “I can\u2019t cry and sing, so I don\u2019t want to put you in that position.”<\/p>\n
After the “Blown Away” singer handed Harper some tissues, the Idol <\/em>hopeful began her performance and sang about trying to care for both herself and her children in the midst of “pure chaos” at home, knowing one day she’ll look back on these moments.<\/p>\n
“I thought finding peace in the quiet\u2019s what I wanted \/ But I\u2019d do anything to go back to being needed \/ To those days I want to cry, run away and cry \/ But I\u2019d worry about their every need,” sang Harper. “When I\u2019m overwhelmed and touched out, they come climbing up on the couch \/ Saying \u2018Mama can you open my string cheese?\u2019 \/ I smile because I know meeting their needs fills my soul \/ Being their mama is who I\u2019m meant to be.”<\/p>\n
Underwood began to cry as the performance came to an end. “Do you have more tissues? My turn,” she said with a chuckle. “Well, that\u2019s about the most relatable song I think I\u2019ve ever heard.”<\/p>\n
![\"Lionel](\"https:\/\/people.com\/thmb\/X3vKFnyeIVsJ0xXAFWkU5Jnzx38=\/fit-in\/1280x960\/LIONEL-RICHIE-CARRIE-UNDERWOOD-LUKE-BRYAN-american-idol-012626-2-9634603d1ede4984999cb59c8f45ab7e.jpg\" "\\"AMERICAN")
Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan on ‘American Idol’ <\/i>\n Disney\/Eric McCandless<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n