Carly Pearce had one of the most epic collaborations of the night, at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. The Grand Ole Opry member took the stage with Gwen Stefani to perform “Just A Girl.” The song, first released in 1995, is from the third album of No Doubt, Stefani’s rock band.
“I love Gwen,” Stefani told CMT ahead of their performance. “I have always admired her style and her ability to just be herself and have everybody just right there with her. I think you’re just going to see two girls that are fans of each other … it’s going to be a girl moment.”
Pearce admitted prior to taking the stage that she was nervous to perform with Stefani, even though they became closer since Pearce served as the opening act on Stefani’s husband, Blake Shelton‘s Back to the Honky Tonk Tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdSZbuEH0Tg
“This is one of those moments where I am definitely pushed out of my comfort zone, but I’m going to try to just maintain being myself singing something that’s cool.” Pearce told CMT.
Stefani was equally excited to take the stage with Pearce, one of the biggest current stars in country music, especially for the genre-bending collaboration.
“I think what is so powerful about music and being a songwriter is that it all stems from the same place in the heart and soul,” Stefani said. “To learn more about country music through Blake so far into my career and to have the opportunity to collaborate with Blake has been unexpected. I feel very honored. I don’t take it lightly to have had the opportunity to experience the Grand Ole Opry and its rich traditions or to be able to perform at the CMT Music Awards.”
For Pearce, the collaboration made perfect sense, even though Stefani comes from the rock music world, and Pearce’s feet are firmly planted in country music.
“Every time you bring in pop or rock artists from outside, it makes some people question why we’re doing it,” Pearce reflected. “But to me, it’s bringing more and more awareness to country music. I think it gives us a chance to do something a little bit different [and] I think that music is music, and I’m a very big fan of Gwen. I think she would say that she’s a fan of mine. She said it to me, so I feel like I can say that. We’re just two people that are artists that really have a true admiration for each other, want to sing a song together and have a girl anthem.”
Pearce also performed by herself during the CMT Music Awards live broadcast. The Kentucky native sang her latest chart-topping single, “What He Didn’t Do” as well.
“It’s like equal parts pressure and equal parts excited about it,” Pearce admitted. “To get to have a moment with Gwen that’s very unexpected is super fun. But to get to play my song that means so much to me, and is No.1, randomly this week, feels really awesome.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPgpPIpwcDI
Photo Credit: Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT