Carly Pearce and Gwen Stefani will collaborate at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. The two will have a world premiere of a new duet during the live ceremony.
Although they have yet to perform together, Pearce and Stefani got to spend a lot of time together over the last several weeks, when Pearce served as the opening act for Stefani’s husband, Blake Shelton, on his Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, which just wrapped. In fact, Pearce shared a video on tour of Stefani gifting her some of the rock singer’s line of GXVE beauty products.
I’ve been such a fan of @gxvebeauty lip products, wearing them for EVERY show & this sweet angel heard about it and surprised me with the most amazing gift box! I ♥️ you big @gwenstefani!!! pic.twitter.com/NreGbVFzHI
— Carly Pearce (@carlypearce) March 19, 2023
The news of the Pearce and Stefani collaboration comes as Pearce is celebrating her fourth No. 1 hit, for “What He Didn’t Do.” While we don’t yet know if Pearce and Stefani’s collaboration will be her next single, the Grand Ole Opry member did hint that fans won’t be expecting her next single.
“I think the song that I’m coming out with, people will be surprised because it’s not sunshine and rainbows,” Pearce hinted on Audacy’s Katie & Company.
Pearce and Stefani aren’t the only new additions to the 2023 CMT Music Awards. Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards and Morgan Wade, plus Austin, Texas’ famed guitarist, Jackie Venson, will perform a world premiere of the ultimate female-empowerment anthem, “You Oughta Know.”
Shania Twain will also be in attendance. The global superstar will be the third recipient of the CMT Equal Play Award, which “recognizes an artist who is a visible and vocal advocate for elevating diverse and underrepresented voices in country music,” per a press release. Previous winners of the CMT Equal Play Award include Jennifer Nettles and Linda Martell.
Previously-announced performers for the 2023 CMT Music Awards include Jelly Roll, Tyler Hubbard, The Black Crowes with Darius Rucker, Wynonna Judd with Ashley McBryde, Shelton, Keith Urban, Cody Johnson, Kelsea Ballerini and Carrie Underwood, who was the first performer announced for the ceremony. Kane Brown who is co-hosting the ceremony with Ballerini, will perform with his wife, Katelyn.
Wilson leads the list of artists with the most nominations, with a total of four. Johnson, Jelly Roll and Brown follow with three each. Underwood is continuing her streak as the most-nominated artist for Video of the Year. Underwood is nominated in the category for “Hate My Heart.” She is also nominated for Female Video of the Year, for “Ghost Story.”
The 2023 CMT Music Awards will air live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 2. The show will air on CBS.