Carrie Underwood is facing perhaps the most challenging task of her career - reproduce the success of her debut. That's quite a challenge, seeing as her debut record sold over six million copies and spawned four #1 country hits plus two pop hits.

But Underwood is going to give it all she's got. Her encore hits stores October 23rd.

If the success of the lead single "So Small" is any indication of the success the album will see, Underwood has nothing to fear. The single sits poised to hop inside the top 10 at any moment after just a few weeks of airplay.

Somehow, the once "American Idol" has been able to keep her head. She knows just how daunting the task of following Some Hearts will be. "'Is there really anywhere to go but down?' There was that fear in my head," the singer tells Billboard.

This time, though, Underwood admits that the success, or failure, of the record is in her own hands. And, in fact, most of the record came from her hands. The singer-turned-songwriter contributed much more to Carnival Ride than she did her first album, stating, "We started picking songs and I realized it was more [about] making an album for myself that I love and I know I have a huge hand in making."

Billboard has more on the album in their print issue, on newstands now.