Blake Shelton returned to the 2023 CMT Music Awards for the first time in five years to kick off the star-studded awards show with a performance of his latest hit, “Nobody.”
Surrounded by video screens with neon signs with nods to the city of Austin and his breakout hit single of the same name, the superstar made his way around the stage as he belted out the lyrics to the popular song.
“Don’t wanna scoot the boots with nobody / Get straight tequila drunk on nobody / Wrap these arms around nobody / No body, but yours/Don’t wanna shadows dance with nobody/Slide some cotton off of nobody/Don’t wanna wake up kissing nobody/No body, but yours,” he sings in the chorus.
The superstar previously open dup about the song and shared what drew him to record it.
“This song in particular takes me back to the ‘90s when I was in high school and first moved to Nashville because it feels like what the music sounded like at that time,” he explained.
Prior to his performance, Shelton arrived on the CMT Music Awards red carpet with his wife, Gwen Stefani.
Stefani is on hand to perform alongside Carly Pearce later in the show.
Co-hosted by Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini, the 2023 CMT Music Awards featured performances from Blake Shelton, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, and Tyler Hubbard.
Additionally, the show included one-of-a-kind collaborations, including a 10th anniversary of CMT Next Women of Country celebration featuring Alanis Morissette with Lainey Wilson, Ingrid Andress, Madeline Edwards, and Morgan Wade. Gwen Stefani and Carly Pearce joined forces for a special collaboration, while Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown teamed up for the television premiere of their chart-topping duet, “Thank God.”
The Black Crowes and Darius Rucker delivered a first-time collaboration of “She Talks To Angels,” and Wynonna Judd and Ashley McBryde will also take the stage together.
The show also included a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan from Gary Clark, Jr. and a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute from Billy Gibbons, Chuck Leavell, Cody Johnson, Paul Rodgers, Slash & Warren Haynes and LeAnn Rimes & Wynonna Judd as honorary “Honkettes.”
Rising stars Avery Anna, Chapel Hart, Jackson Dean, Lily Rose, Nate Smith, and Megan Moroney made their CMT Music Awards performance debut on the Ram Trucks Side Stage.
Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, Charles Esten, Dixie D’Amelio, Dustin Lynch, HARDY, Ian Bohen + Jen Landon (Yellowstone), Jon Pardi, LeAnn Rimes, Madison Bailey (Outer Banks), Max Thieriot (Fire Country), Megan Thee Stallion, Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things), Parker McCollum, Peter Frampton, Shania Twain, Steve Howey (True Lies) and Travis Kelce appeared as presenters.
The coveted awards show aired live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 2 at 8/7c on CBS. It was also available to stream live and on-demand via Paramount+.
