Ryan Seacrest showed no hesitation when asked by Matt Lauer on Today who he thought was the biggest star to win American Idol.

Carrie Underwood,” Seacrest quickly said Wednesday (Jan. 6) while chatting with Today's hosts about the final season of Idol. “I was just on New Year’s with Carrie, and she’s just a superstar. She really is. So I take Carrie.”

Underwood performed in New York City as part of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest last week, but she wasn't the only former American Idol winner discussed. He says Kelly Clarkson also did well, but Underwood is the superstar in Seacrest's book.

The singer proved that status all over again by winning Favorite Female Country Artist at the fan-voted People's Choice Awards on Wednesday night. She posted a video to Facebook the next morning, thanking her fans for their support.

"This is a really, really wonderful way to start the year and it’s going to be a big, awesome year," she said. "Thank you for making this happen. You guys are the best.”

This year brings the 15th and final season of American Idol. Seacrest says all the original judges will come back, as well as some of the past winners from the reality television singing competition.

Alabama native Taylor Hicks, who won the fifth season of American Idol, returned to the show Wednesday night for the final season premiere, where he played a part in advising the singers during their early auditions.

Seacrest adds that the final season of the show will be "focusing on the competition, but also nostalgia."

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