In case y'all didn't get the memo, country music is taking over the UK and leading the charge is Carrie Underwood.

Breaking down barriers from the get-go, the seven-time Grammy Award winner has transcended her early beginnings as an American Idol champ to sell over 60 million records worldwide, including 21 number one singles.

Gearing up for the release of her fifth album, Storyteller, Carrie was recently the first Nashville star to headline London's Apple Music Festival and has just been confirmed to take star billing at Country to Country 2016.

Vibe caught up with the Before He Cheats hit-maker for a chat.

Having performed at the inaugural C2C event in 2013, Carrie will return to play three nights, including the O2 Arena, Dublin 3 Arena, and for the first year, an additional 3rd night, at Glasgow’s Clyde Auditorium.

"I'm so excited!" she enthuses in her southern drawl. "Everybody has always been so great to us whenever we’ve come here and I can't wait to play C2C again."

Since the last time she played the UK's largest country music festival, Carrie has become a mother.

While you'd never never know it from looking at her amazing figure, Carrie and hockey star player husband Mike Fisher welcomed son Isaiah just 7 months ago. Although not joining her this time, she's keen to make her next visit here a family affair.

"Definitely! We’ve started talking about ways that we can build a bus to accommodate."

Adamant that she's a proud country music artist when it comes to the recording studio, on stage Carrie isn't afraid to mix it up a bit, including RAPPING.

Her mashup of own hit See You Again with the Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth summertime anthem of the same name, is a real highlight in her recent live set.

"I listen to everything! Something that I feel is so cool with our time right now, there’s so many different kinds of music available and things that you can discover and find on various music sources.

"I really dig what the Foo Fighters did with the Sonic Highways documentary, going to different places and trying to stretch themselves musically.

She adds: "I think that’s something that any artist can work at or learn from and try to incorporate growth like that in their own music."

Naming man of the moment Sam Smith as someone she'd love to work with, another person she wouldn't say no to is Dolly Parton. Recalling the first time that she met the Jolene legend, Carrie confesses she was starstruck.

"I did get starstruck once meeting Dolly Parton because it’s Dolly Parton! I just kept thinking in my head 'how is this happening now!?'

"I think I played it cool, I think I was ok - it was all such a blur! She’s the nicest person. Anytime that I’ve ever been lucky enough to be in her presence she’s cracking jokes and she’s so witty, clever and sweet that it disarms your nervousness and she makes you feel okay."

Carrie recently celebrated her first decade in music, something she's incredibly humble about when mentioned.

"These days in music it’s so easy to be a flash in the pan and have a couple of big songs on radio, or a couple of popular things that you’ve done and then you kind of go away.

"Every tour that we’ve been on has felt bigger than the last, getting to go to cool events, or be a part of award shows... I’m just so lucky and proud that we’ve kept it going for ten years. Hopefully we can get another ten!"

Carrie Underwood will play Country to Country at London's O2 Arena on March 12, 2016. Tickets will be available from www.c2c-countrytocountry.com/

Here's the video for Carrie's new single Smoke Break, which is out now and taken from album Storyteller, released October 23.