The Moody Center in Austin, Texas, was filled with country music stars on Sunday, April 2, for the 2023 CMT Music Awards. The event, which is voted on by fans, was hosted by Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown and saw performances from world-renowned names such as Gwen Stefani, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, and Alanis Morissette.
Carrie Underwood’s Big Night
Carrie Underwood, who remains the most awarded artist in CMT history with 25 wins, was among the nominees for video of the year for “Hate My Heart” and female video of the year for “Ghost Story.” She stepped onto the red carpet in an all-silver ensemble covered in glittering rhinestones.
Underwood’s husband, Mike Fisher, stayed at home with their two sons while she attended the show. In interviews ahead of the awards ceremony, Underwood focused on celebrating her fans and expressed her desire to accomplish big, fun performances.
The singer was also scheduled to perform at the event alongside other country music stars like Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, and Keith Urban. Underwood’s costumes for her Las Vegas residency show ‘Reflection’ were created to combine the glitz and glamour of Vegas with the iconic style of women in country music. Stylist Emma Trask and her team created 20 outfits for Underwood’s residency show and collaborated with her throughout the process.
Fashion Takes Center Stage
The country music stars who walked down the red carpet brought out their best fashion choices. Kelsea Ballerini made a red carpet debut with boyfriend Chase Stokes wearing Dolce & Gabbana.
Shania Twain sported a sexy cutout gown with a red wig and changed into a purple ensemble to accept the CMT Equal Play Award from Megan Thee Stallion. Carrie Underwood displayed her toned legs in a Dolce & Gabbana ensemble with sparkling shorts to match a glittering coat.
Lainey Wilson wore a colorful jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and a metallic studded belt, while Megan Thee Stallion donned a custom navy blue Defaïence gown with cutouts along her hips. Gwen Stefani sported glittering gold Valentino Couture hot pants with a blazer and tie, while Blake Shelton displayed his country style in jeans and a sports jacket.
Performances to Remember
The 2023 CMT Music Awards featured some of the most memorable performances seen at the ceremony in recent years.
Various artists, including Shania Twain, Gwen Stefani, and Carly Pearce, performed at the awards show. The 10th anniversary of CMT “Next Women of Country” was celebrated with performances from Alanis Morissette, Lainey Wilson, Ingrid Andress, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade.
The highly-anticipated Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute featured Slash, Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, and Warren Haynes with LeAnn Rimes and Wynonna Judd serving as honorary “Honkettes.” Kane Brown hosted the show and performed on stage with his wife Katelyn to sing their duet “Thank God” for the first time on television.
List of Winners
Video of the Year: Gabby Barrett – “The Good Ones”
Female Video of the Year: Miranda Lambert – “Settling Down”
Male Video of the Year: Thomas Rhett – “Country Again”
Group/Duo Video of the Year: Little Big Town – “Wine or Whiskey”
Female Breakthrough Video of the Year: Hailey Whitters – “Fillin’ My Cup” (feat. Little Big Town)
Collaborative Video of the Year: Gabby Barrett – “I Hope” (feat. Charlie Puth)
CMT Performance of the Year: Kelsea Ballerini – “Hole in the Bottle” (from 2022 CMT Music Awards)
CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year: Morgan Wade & John Osborne – “Don’t Cry”
With this year’s CMT Music Awards coming to an end, country music fans around the world can look forward to next year’s exciting ceremony.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
