The 2023 CMT Music Awards took over the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, where everyone from Kelsea Ballerini and Shania Twain to Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and more took the stage.
Ballerini’s performance of “If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)” was a joyful romp filled with confetti and rainbows and backed by RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Manila Luzon, Jan, Olivia Lux and Kennedy Davenport, while the queen of country brought her new single “Giddy Up!” to life before being presented the Equal Play award by Megan Thee Stallion.
Shelton mashed up history by playing a medley of his 2001 debut track “Austin” and his latest single “No Body” before the American Idol season four champion powered through “Hate My Heart,” the second single off her ninth studio album Denim & Diamonds.
Meanwhile, the awards show also included multiple tributes over the course of the evening, including Gary Clark Jr. honoring Stevie Ray Vaughan with “The House Is Rockin’” and a star-studded tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd featuring Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Chuck Leavell, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, Slash and more.
Elsewhere, rising star Jelly Roll brought the Moody Center to church with “Need a Favor,” complete with a robed choir of gospel singers, and Kane Brown put his love on display with wife Katelyn Brown with their romantic duet of “Thank God.” Gwen Stefani made her CMT Music Awards debut with an assist from Carly Pearce for No Doubt’s smash hit “Just a Girl” off 1995’s Tragic Kingdom.
Watch all the performances from the 2023 CMT Music Awards and vote for your favorite below. (Note: Shania Twain’s performance of “Giddy Up!” isn’t available on YouTube as of press time.)
