Carrie Underwood’s thoughts were with family and friends back home on TODAY Tuesday after a deadly tornado tore through Nashville and resulted in some frightening moments for her husband and two young children.
The country star, who is in New York City to promote her new book, said husband Mike Fisher had to gather their sons Isaiah, 5, and Jacob, 1, and get them to safety after a tornado and severe storms swept through parts of Nashville and central Tennessee overnight.
“I’m like texting people I know, and I’m like asking my husband if everybody’s good,” Underwood told Savannah Guthrie and Carson Daly on TODAY. “He said he had to go upstairs at like 2 a.m. and grab the boys and take them down to a little safe room in our house.
“I was like, ‘I bet everybody is crying.’ It’s 2 a.m., freaking out, so it was scary.”
At least eight people were killed across four counties, and Tennessee has declared a state of emergency, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said.
22 PHOTOS
Tornado touches down in Nashville
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NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Emergency crews work near a damaged business at Jefferson St. and Seventh Ave. N. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: A television news crew works in front of a mural on heavily damaged The Basement East in the East Nashville neighborhood as lightning strikes in the background on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: A resident makes her way down Underwood St. amidst downed trees and heavy debris on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Storm damaged houses stand in portion on Underwood St. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Damaged utility poles and lines hang above Underwood St. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: General view of a mural on heavily damaged The Basement East in the East Nashville neighborhood on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: A man walks by a storm damaged pickup truck on Underwood St. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path including two people killed in East Nashville. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Residents walk by a tornado damaged apartment building on Jefferson St. in Nashville, TN on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Residents watch as emergency crews attend to a tornado damaged apartment building on Jefferson St. in Nashville, TN on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Residents watch as emergency crews attend to a tornado damaged apartment building on Jefferson St. in Nashville, TN on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Emergency crews work near a damaged business at Jefferson St. and Seventh Ave. N. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: General view of a knocked down street sign near a damaged business at Jefferson St. and Seventh Ave. N. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Cars stop at service lines downed by a tornado on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Emergency crews work near a damaged business at Jefferson St. and Seventh Ave. N. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: General view of tornado damaged service lines on Ninth Ave. N. on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 03: Vehicles pass by damaged buildings on Jefferson St. after a tornado passed through the area on March 3, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A tornado passed through Nashville just after midnight leaving a wake of damage in its path. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
A lot is littered with debris brought on by a tornado that touched down in downtown Nashville, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Alex Carlson via AP)
Damaged vehicles and buildings are seen in East Nashville after a tornado hit the city in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Courtney Pedroza/The Tennessean via AP)
The Geist restaurant brick wall collapsed in a tornado that touched down in downtown Nashville, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Alex Carlson via AP)
People stand outside the Basement East music venue in East Nashville after it was destroyed by a tornado on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Courtney Pedroza/The Tennessean via AP)
Debris is scattered across the parking lot of a damaged apartment building after a tornado hit Nashville in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 3, 2020. (Courtney Pedroza/The Tennessean via AP)
Debris scattered across an intersection Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in downtown Nashville, Tenn. The National Weather Service in Nashville confirmed a tornado touched down in the area. (Celia Darrough via AP)
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More than 50,000 people lost power, and Nashville’s fire department tweeted that it was responding to reports of 40 structure collapses.
Underwood also spoke about her new health and fitness book, “Find Your Path,” as the “Cry Pretty” singer has embraced working out as a stress reliever and a way to recharge herself for her children.
She also has opened up about going too far with cutting calories, revealing she was only eating about 800 calories a day at one point after winning “American Idol.”
“I had to start feeling not good physically before I was like, ‘Something’s not right here,”’ she said. “It was a lack of knowledge. It was a lack of knowing how to take care of myself. Kind of going too far the other direction led me to figure out what works because I wasn’t feeling good, I wasn’t happy.”
25 PHOTOS
Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher together
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NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 06: Mike Fisher (L) and Carrie Underwood attend the 2018 CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 06: Mike Fisher (L) and Carrie Underwood attend the 2018 CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 08: NHL player Mike Fisher and singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood attend the 51st annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 8, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Davis/FilmMagic)
BRENTWOOD, TN – OCTOBER 24: Singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood (L) and NHL Player Mike Fisher (R) attend Nashville Shines for Haiti benefiting Sean Penn’s J/P Haitian relief organization featuring Tim McGraw hosted and underwritten by Johnathon Arndt and Newman Arndt at the Arndt Estate on October 24, 2017 in Brentwood, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for J/P Haitian Relief Organization)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 08: Nashville Predators forward Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 2016 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 8, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 10: Singer Carrie Underwood and NHL player Mike Fisher attends the 2015 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 10: Singer Carrie Underwood (L) and NHL player Mike Fisher attend the 2015 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 10, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
NASHVILLE, TN – SEPTEMBER 09: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 8th Annual ACM Honors at Ryman Auditorium on September 9, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for ACM)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 18: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Singer Carrie Underwood (R) and hockey player Mike Fisher attend the 2014 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Billboard Awards 2014/WireImage)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 04: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 2014 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Larry Busacca/WireImage)
Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher attend the ‘TIME 100 Gala, TIME’s 100 Most Influential People In The World’ at the Frederick P Rose Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City. � LAN (Photo by Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 05: NHL player Mike Fisher (L) and singer Carrie Underwood attend the 2013 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 5, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
FRANKLIN, TN – DECEMBER 03: Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher attend the CMT Artist of the Year Awards at The Factory At Franklin on December 3, 2012 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Photo by Ed Rode/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Singer Carrie Underwood (R) and husband Mike Fisher arrive at the 40th Anniversary American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Singer Carrie Underwood (R) and NHL player Mike Fisher at the 40th American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 18, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/AMA2012/WireImage)
NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 01: Recording artist Carrie Underwood and husband Mike Fisher attend the 46th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 1, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 06: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 2012 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 06: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 2012 CMT Music awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 6, 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 23: Mike Fisher and singer Carrie Underwood arrive at Fox’s ‘American Idol 2012’ Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 23: Singer Carrie Underwood and professional ice hockey player Mike Fisher arrive at ‘American Idol’ Season 11 Grand Finale Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 20: NHL Player Mike Fisher and Singer Carrie Underwood arrive at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 09: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attend the 2010 CMT Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 9, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 09: Mike Fisher and Carrie Underwood attends the 2010 CMT Music Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on June 9, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 31: NHL player Mike Fisher and singer Carrie Underwood arrive at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Staples Center on January 31, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)
Singer Carrie Underwood and hockey Player Mike Fisher onstage during the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards – Salute To Icons Honoring Doug Morris held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 30, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage)
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