Country beauty Carrie Underwood has spoken out in defense of country music as it consistently gets a bad reputation especially in locations where it isn't particularly common.

Speaking to London's Metro newspaper, the 'Blown Away' superstar explained that there's a lot of integrity within the genre because the songs are all written from the heart and about every day life experience:

"I love country music and I think everyone else should too. Other artists, such as Brad Paisley, are playing shows outside the US and bringing country to new people. Changes in technology mean people don't just listen to rock or pop. You hear a song you like on the radio or TV and you download it and discover more of that artist's music. It's more about songs and artists than genres these days."

Underwood added: "[Country music] is very honest. Come to one of our award shows and you won't see people lip-syncing. It's about singing and the music and I respect that very much. It's about being honest with your feelings. We're not trying to be cool. It's just about life."