Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson’s Powerful ‘Save Me’ Duet Lights Up the Stage At iHeartRadio Music Awards
Both artists walked away as winners, reaffirming their ongoing dominance in the country music scene.
Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson; Photo by Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for FOX
Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson represented country music at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday (April 1) at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Their Performance Was A Highlight Of The Show
Jelly Roll and Wilson attended the show as both nominees and performers, joining forces for an emotional performance of their chart-topping collaboration, “Save Me,” during the show.
Their stripped-back rendition of “Save Me” was a highlight of the star-studded event and showcased the country stars’ raw vocals and honest storytelling. The stage was beautifully lit by dozens of candles, matching the somber mood of the song.
Jelly Roll kicked off the performance with the first verse, later introducing his “sister” Wilson as the winner of the iHeartRadio Country Song of the Year category. Moments later, the Louisisana native was seen sitting on the side of the stage, owning her moment in the spotlight as she sang the second verse.
Together, they teamed up on the chorus as they made their way toward each other, meeting in the middle of the stage. They concluded their performance with a hug as Jelly Roll appeared to become a bit emotional in the moment.
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“Save Me” was written by Jelly Roll (Jason DeFord) with David Ray Stevens, produced by Zach Crowell and David Ray Stevens, and recorded by Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson. The song reached the top of the charts in December, marking Jelly Roll’s third No.1 single and WIlson’s fourth (on the Billboard Country Airplay chart).
Jelly Roll Named Best New Artist For Country And Pop
Jelly Roll was also a big winner at the iHeartRadio Music Awards as he was named Best New Artist in both Country and Pop. During his acceptance speech, Jelly Roll reflected on his time as a young kid listening to the radio and admitted that he’s still in disbelief over his success.
“I remember being a kid in the backseat of the car with my brothers. I had three older brothers and an older sister, and all we did was ride around and listen to the radio and we sung every single word,” he shared. “I never would’ve dreamed I would be one of the voices coming through your radio and to be the Best New Country Artist to represent country music and the Best New Pop artist, you don’t know what this means to a kid like me!”
He continued, “I was thinking about it. What does it mean when a guy like me has the opportunity to be the new pop artist of the year at iHeart Radio’s Award? It means that God will always use the least likely messenger with the biggest message every single time you can take it to the bank.”
He closed his speech by giving shoutouts to his wife, Bunnie XO, and daughter Bailee Ann.
Red Carpet Looks
Ahead of their “Save Me” performance and bit wins, Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson arrived to the red carpet in style. Jelly Roll appeared alongside his wife, Bunnie XO, and Wilson arrived solo. Both donned black ensembles with small pops of metallic.
The 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards also featured performances by Tate McRae, Green Day, TLC, and more. Additionally, Cher was honored with the 2024 iHeartRadio Icon Award and Beyoncé received the Innovator Award.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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