Highlights from the 2023 CMT Music Awards: Shania Twain’s call for equity, Carrie Underwood’s fashion statement, and more
The 2023 CMT Music Awards were a night to remember, with a star-studded lineup of performers and an array of talented nominees. One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the CMT Equal Play Award to country music icon Shania Twain, who used her acceptance speech to call for more equity and diversity in the industry.[0] She expressed her belief in country music that is all-inclusive.[0] “Currently, the industry standard does a real disservice to this.”[0] Twain also made a splash on the red carpet with two skin-baring ensembles, including a sparkly, purple three-piece Chanel outfit that showed off her toned midriff.[0]
Another standout moment was when Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn Brown won Video of the Year for their duet “Thank God.”[0] With emotions running high, Katelyn accepted the trophy and couldn't help but express how nervous she had been.[0] The couple also shared a sweet moment on stage, with Katelyn thanking her husband for his support.
Carrie Underwood, who attended the fan-voted show and performed, made headlines for her bejeweled short-shorts on the red carpet, showing off her toned legs.[0] Underwood is now the most-awarded artist in CMT Music Awards history with 25 wins, having won Video of the Year for the past four years in a row.[0]
Other performers included Miranda Lambert with “Actin' Up,” Kelsea Ballerini with “HEARTFIRST,” and Wynonna Judd singing to her mother Naomi Judd.[0] Ballerini also hit the stage to perform “If You Go Down (I’m Going Down Too)” alongside several drag stars from the hit TV series RuPaul’s Drag Race.[0]
The event was also dedicated to the victims of gun violence, with Ballerini using her acceptance speech to call for change.[0] “I pray deeply that the closeness and the community that we feel through the next few hours of music can soon turn into action, like real action, that moves us forward together to create change for the safety of our kids and our loved ones,” she said.[0]
The 2023 CMT Music Awards aired live on CBS and is streaming on Paramount+.[0] Final numbers are yet to be announced, but the show was the most-streamed program of the night on Paramount+, with live streaming up 16% year-over-year.[0]
0. “Yee-Hot! Country Music’s Sexiest Singers Love to Flaunt Their Legs in Shorts and Daisy Dukes: See Photos” Yahoo Entertainment, 4 Apr. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/yee-hot-country-music-sexiest-131825612.html
