Country beauty Carrie Underwood has revealed that she's likely to start working on her fifth studio album early next year.

The 'Blown Away' hitmaker will head to New York soon to star in NBC's live production of 'The Sound of Music', but plans to return to the studio shortly after that. Speaking about her vision for her new record, she explained:

"I haven't thought about it much because I don't know what the next album is going to sound like, but I like just standing there and singing, too."

It has also just been announced that Underwood will be honoured at the 38th TJ Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research Annual Honors Gala. The superstar is set to be given the 2013 Artist Achievement Award and the organisation's founder, Tony Martell, said in a statement:

"When I started this Foundation with several of my peers in the music and entertainment business in honor of my son T.J., I wanted to do all that I could to make sure other families would not have to suffer the way my family did. We are thrilled to honor Carrie Underwood with this year’s Artist Achievement Award."

The Gala is confirmed to take place on Tuesday, October 22.