Breakout country star Walker Hayes is celebrating his first-ever Billboard Music Awards win.
Ahead of the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, the Alabama native was announced as the winner of Top Country Song for his viral hit, “Fancy Like.”
The song was nominated alongside Chris Stapleton’s “You Should Probably Leave,” Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood’s “If I Didn’t Love You,” Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan’s, “Buy Dirt,” and Luke Combs’ “Forever After All.”
Just won Top Country Song at the @BBMAs 😱 Don’t miss the rest of the awards and incredible performances, TONIGHT at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on @NBC & @peacockTV! 🎶 #BBMAs https://t.co/zIUidrX6EX
— Walker Hayes (@walkerhayes) May 15, 2022
“Just won Top Country Song at the @BBMAs,” Hayes shared on Twitter upon hearing the news.
“Fancy Like” was a life-changing song for Hayes, who released the song not even a year ago. The massive crossover hit climbed to the No.1 spot at country radio and held the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart for over six months.
Walker Hayes also reacted to the big news in a video message posted to the official Billboard Music Awards account.
“What up Billboard Awards?! Thank you for honoring ‘Fancy Like’ as the Top Country Song,” he said in the clip. “Holy cow, we never win anything…Just wanted to say thanks for honoring us. It’s a huge deal. It’s been a great year.”
Hayes then gave a shoutout to his fellow songwriters (Cameron Bartolini, Josh Jenkins, and Shane Stevens) as well as his co-producers (Joe Thibodeau and Shane McAnally). Before closing his speech Hayes thanked his wife, Laney, as well as his kids, specifically his daughter Lela, for helping him create the now-infamous “Fancy Like” dance.
Going into the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, Hayes had a total of six nominations. Winners for each of the categories Hayes was nominated in were revealed hours before the show during a special TikTok live stream hosted by Tetris Kelly and Tiffany Taylor.
Hosted by Sean “Diddy” Combs, the 2022 Billboard Music Awards will broadcast live on NBC coast-to-coast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. The show will also stream live on Peacock.
The BBMAs will feature a star-studded lineup with performances by Becky G (“Baile Con Mi Ex,” “MAMIII”), Burna Boy (“Last Last,” “Kilometre”), Dan + Shay (“You”), Ed Sheeran (“2step”), Elle King & Miranda Lambert [“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home”)], Florence + The Machine (“My Love”), Latto (“Big Energy”), Maxwell (“Lady In My Life”), Machine Gun Kelly (“twin flame”), Megan Thee Stallion (“Plan B,” “Sweetest Pie”), Morgan Wallen (“Don’t Think Jesus,” “Wasted on You”), Rauw Alejandro (“Cúrame,” “MUSEO,” “Todo De Ti”), Silk Sonic (“Love’s Train”), and Travis Scott (“Mafia”).
The 2022 Billboard Music Awards will also honor this year’s Icon Award recipient Mary J. Blige and the third annual Billboard Music Award Changemaker, Mari Copeny.
The evening’s star-studded presenter lineup includes AleXa, Anitta, Chlöe Bailey, City Girls, DJ Khaled, Dixie D’Amelio, Dove Cameron, Fat Joe, French Montana, Givēon, Heidi Klum, Lainey Wilson, Liza Koshy, Michael Bublé, Pusha T, Shenseea, Snoop Dogg, Swizz Beatz, and Teyana Taylor.
