In Carrie Underwood‘s eyes, if you release a song on a studio album, you better be able to sing it back to your fans live onstage.

The country megastar and undeniable premier vocalist tells Rolling Stone that she takes pride in putting in the work on her vocals. It stems back to her childhood, when she would hear artists live that didn’t sound like they were supposed to sound based on their recorded songs.

“[It’s] always so deflating. I’d lose respect for them,” Underwood admits. “I’d go to a concert, hear them drop keys, and I was like, ‘You can’t hit the notes! Why’d you record them if you can’t sing them?’ That stuff is important to me.”

There is merit to her statement — as Rolling Stone observes, “Underwood has some of the most powerful pipes not just in country music, but anywhere.”

Underwood is currently performing her Reflection Las Vegas residency, with dates March 13, 15 and 16 before a break until May. She was in Sin City for her 41st birthday on March 10, which meant she got a sweet surprise of beautiful flowers sent to her by her husband and two sons.

Fans in Vegas also sang her “Happy Birthday,” and Underwood admits she “felt very loved.”

Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 130 country radio stations nationwide, every night from 7PM to midnight. He plays the best new country music and interviews today’s top stars, like Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Lady A, + more!