Nothing brings people together like music. The 2023 CMT Music Awards will be a star-studded event — not only for the show’s nominees and performers, but also for its presenters.
Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Megan Thee Stallion, Shania Twain, Noah Schnapp, Steve Howey and Travis Kelce are among several celebrities set to present at this year’s awards ceremony on Sunday, April 2, Us Weekly can exclusively reveal.
Also joining the presenting lineup are Carly Pearce, Outer Banks stars Charles Esten and Madison Bailey, Dixie D’Amelio, Dustin Lynch, HARDY, Yellowstone’s Ian Bohen and Jen Landon, Jon Pardi, Parker McCollum, Peter Frampton and Fire Country’s Max Thieriot.
Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown will return for their third consecutive year as cohosts for the 57th annual awards show, having previously hosted in 2021 and 2022. After years of airing live from Nashville, Tennesee, the ceremony is moving across the country and will be broadcast from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
“Our fans are in for an unforgettable night of music with plenty of surprises, as the Live Music Capital meets Music City for the first time ever on a national stage in what will be a true country music extravaganza,” executive producers Margaret Comeaux, John Hamlin, Leslie Fram and Jason Owen said in a November 2022 statement.
Lainey Wilson sits at the top of this year’s nominations list with a total of four nods, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Collaborative Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the year. Close behind is Brown, 29, who scored nominations for Video of the Year, Breakthrough Male Video of the Year and Male Breakthrough Video of the Year.
Ballerini, 29 — who is currently dating Outer Banks star Chase Stokes following her split from ex-husband Morgan Evans in August 2022 — is up for Video of the Year and Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for her song “Heartfirst.”
In addition to presenting, Twain, 57, will also be honored with the CMT Equal Pay Award, which “recognizes an artist who is a visible and vocal advocate for elevating diverse and underrepresented voices in country music.” The “That Don’t Impress Me Much” artist follows in the footsteps of past honorees Linda Martell and Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles.
Ballerini and Brown will serve double duty, as they are each set to perform during the show. Alanis Morissette will make her CMT Music Awards debut, performing “You Oughta Know” with Morgan Wade, Ingrid Andress and more in celebration of the CMT Next Women of Country franchise’s 10th anniversary.
Keith Urban, Tyler Hubbard, Jackson Dean, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Gwen Stefani and more will also perform.
The 2023 CMT Music Awards air on CBS Sunday, April 2, at 8 p.m. ET and will stream on Paramount+.
