2024 CMA Awards Anticipation Builds: Female Vocalist of the Year Nominees Share Excitement

The 2024 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards are set to feature a fiercely competitive category this year as the nominees for Female Vocalist of the Year express their anticipation and excitement ahead of the event. Kelsea Ballerini and Ashley McBryde, both contenders in this prestigious category, have shared their thoughts on what it means to be nominated.

The Female Vocalist of the Year category includes notable talents such as Kelsea Ballerini, who is a seven-time nominee, Ashley McBryde, who co-hosted the 2024 «CMA Fest,» Lainey Wilson, Kacey Musgraves, and newcomer Megan Moroney. McBryde, eager for the potential of her first win in this category, revealed to On the Red Carpet an unusual pre-show ritual involving chicken nuggets and orange juice, a tradition stemming from a previous frantic meal before the awards.

«What we do right before the CMAs is we eat a certain type of chicken nugget. It went really well the first time, so now that’s what we do,» McBryde commented humorously.

Kelsea Ballerini, known for her multiple nominations in this category, expressed her admiration for the CMAs, describing them as the pinnacle of country music recognition. «To me, the CMAs are the crème de la crème. I’m honored to be nominated and excited to see what happens on the show,» she remarked.

Ballerini has also stepped into the acting sphere, making her debut on ABC‘s Doctor Odyssey, a role she described as both challenging and exciting. «This character that I play, she is doing her best and she is stressed out,» Ballerini said of her acting role, which she undertook despite initial trepidations.

The 58th Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, on ABC and will subsequently be available for streaming on Hulu. The red carpet coverage will precede the main event, airing at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT, with additional streaming options on Hulu and ABC News live on Disney+.

Country music’s biggest night promises performances from several prominent artists, including Brooks & Dunn, Eric Church, Lainey Wilson, and others. Morgan Wallen is among the top nominees, leading with seven nominations, while Chris Stapleton and Cody Johnson have received five nominations each.

As anticipation builds, the awards ceremony not only highlights notable achievements within the genre but also sets the stage for memorable performances and opportunities for artists to further cement their legacy in the indelible world of country music.