Riley Green is teasing his upcoming performance and reflecting on his nominations ahead of the 2025 CMA Awards, which will take place on Wednesday, November 19, live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
The country superstar is nominated for four CMA Awards this year, including Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me” with Ella Langley, as well as Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t Mind If I Do,” also featuring Langley.
Of the nominations, Riley Green admitted that he can’t believe he’s even a nominee. “It’s never something that you really expect,” Green admitted in a statement. “I always think about things as just a fan of country music because it’s not too long ago that I was, you know. And you see the names that are mentioned in winnin’ these awards and being nominated, and then to get kind of thrown in with that is always a big deal. And I’m excited to have it lifted up there with all these other great songs and collaborations.”
The 37-year-old Alabama native commented on the success of “You Look Like You Love Me,” he and Ella Langley’s first hit duet. “Well, having such a big viral moment with ‘You Look Like You Love Me,’ just because to show you that I don’t know what a hit is because I thought it was a cool song,” Green said. “I thought talking verses were probably a little too traditional, and it’s been so amazing to see what that song has become. And obviously Ella’s had such a great moment with it. It’s awesome to watch her career with that song and really fun song to get to play.”
He also opened up about how “special” it is for him that “Don’t Mind If I Do” is nominated for Musical Event Of The Year, since he wrote the song entirely on his own.
“Being nominated for Musical Event is a really special thing because I wrote, ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’ [on my own]. And it was one of my favorite songs in the album… [it] became the title track on my album that came out,” Green continued. “And again, Ella did such a great job on that song, and it’s one of my favorite songs to play live on the road. So to be able to have a little recognition of a song that you wrote, it’s a big deal.”
In addition to being nominated at the 2025 CMA Awards, Riley Green will deliver a steamy performance of his chart-topping hit “Worst Way” during the coveted awards show ceremony.
“I’m performing ‘Worst Way’ on the CMA stage, and it’s such a cool thing to get to come to these awards, but to be able to actually perform and play a song of mine that was a big hit in the last year is going to be a really cool moment,” he revealed.
The 59th Annual CMA Awards will also feature performances by Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, Chris Stapleton, BigXThaPlug, Luke Combs, Ella Langley, Keith Urban, Little Big Town, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr. and more.
This year’s CMA Awards will feature a wide range of presenters and special guests, including Lady A, Jessica Capshaw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Daigle, Jordan Davis, Elizabeth Hurley, Cody Johnson, Bert Kreischer, Brandon Lake, Ella Langley, Steve Martin, Leanne Morgan, NE-YO, Chris O’Donnell, Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Ritchson, Lara Spencer, Billy Bob Thornton, Grace Van Patten, Gretchen Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman.
Hosted by country superstar Lainey Wilson, “Country Music’s Biggest Night” will broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, November 19 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC and is available the next day on Hulu.
