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Thomas Rhett ignited the Bridgestone Arena stage with an infectious energy when he performed a medley with Teddy Swims — including the duo's new collaboration — for the first time. The duo joined forces on Wednesday evening (November 20) during the 58th CMA Awards.
Rhett and Swims kicked off their performance backstage, revealing a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse to CMA viewers. The country superstar released the collaboration with Swims earlier this month, offering a new twist on the title track of his seventh studio record, About A Woman. The genre-blending duo performed their version for the first time, in addition to Swims' smash-hit 2023 single, “Lose Control.” Swims is known for his soulful vocals and blending elements of R&B, pop and other genres into his music. Rhett shared a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of the duo’s performance on TikTok on Tuesday (November 19), writing in his caption, “I know y’all ain’t ready for tomorrow night [Wednesday, November 20].”
“Somethin’ ‘Bout A Woman” is one of 14 tracks on Rhett’s latest record, which arrived in August. He previously said the project serves as a tribute to his wife of more than a decade, Lauren Akins. It also includes “Overdrive,” “Gone Country,” “Beautiful As You,” “After All The Bars Are Closed” and more.
“From top to bottom, I wanted to exude joy and fun with this project – and really just make people move,” Rhett, who's hitting the road in 2025, said when he announced new details about his album earlier this year. “I went into making this record with a fearless attitude, put my blinders on and my head down to try and make really fun music. …I feel like if you were to ask me what this record is about, the answer would be it’s about one woman, my wife, and it gave me an opportunity to say ‘I love you’ in a lot of different ways.”
The star-studded lineup of performers at the CMA Awards also includes Chris Stapleton and Post Malone, Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan, Brooks & Dunn with Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Ella Langley with Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Kacey Musgraves, Bailey Zimmerman, Dierks Bentley (featuring Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes), Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Shaboozey, and Lainey Wilson. Presenters include Simone Biles, Clint Black, Jeff Bridges, Mark Collie, Jordan Davis, Freddie Freeman, Don Johnson, Jackson Laux, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Katharine McPhee, The Oak Ridge Boys, Taylor Frankie Paul, Carly Pearce, Caleb Pressley, Nate Smith, Daniel Sunjata, Mitchell Tenpenny and Billy Bob Thornton. The Country Music Association also revealed the all-star group of artists — Jamey Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson — paying tribute to country legend George Strait. Strait is the recipient of the 2024 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.
Luke Bryan returned to host the show again with Peyton Manning, and this time, they teamed up with first-time host and 2023 Entertainer of the Year Lainey Wilson. Check back with iHeartRadio for a live-updated list of winners throughout the evening, a gallery of the most stunning red carpet looks, coverage of can’t-miss performances and more throughout the evening. The 58th CMA Awards is airing on ABC on Wednesday evening, and will be available next day on Hulu.