Miranda Lambert Captivates With ‘Magical’ Performance Of ‘Carousel’
Lambert silenced the audience with her powerful performance.
Miranda Lambert; Photo Courtesy of Rich Polk for PMC
Miranda Lambert stunned the ACM Awards audience with her angelic vocals on Thursday evening when she took the stage to perform the emotional track, “Carousel.”
Donning an off-white tulle gown, Lambert stood center stage in a set that resembled an abandoned circus. With an empty carousel behind her and fog rising from the stage, Lambert allowed her flawless vocals to shine as she conveyed the emotional storyline of the song.
The audience watched in awe as she delivered the most poignant moments of the night.
Her “Carousel” performance immediately earned praise from her fans.
“The most beautiful performance of all time,” one Instagram user commented, while another shared, “You can silence a room with your voice and your performances are always magical. Love love love your music.”
The emotional song, co-written by Lambert with Natalie Hemby and Luke Dick, is featured as the final track on her latest album, Palomino.
Lambert shared the story behind the “bittersweet” song prior to the show. She says that she and her co-writers added bits and pieces from their personal lives throughout the lyrics.
“I mean, there’s sweet stories in that one too Smith County is the county I grew up in, and Johnny Davis is a road out by where my farm is. And we took some nuggets from our surroundings to make that song feel very real,” she explained. “Because parts of it are real for each of us.”
As they were writing, Lambert said they felt moved by the lyrics and thought, “This is getting somewhere…stuff’s happening.” As she began “feeling things,” the rest of the song fell into place.
“Carousel” has become a staple in Lambert’s setlist, and while she sings it often, the song still brings her to tears.
“When it becomes her at the end when she says, ‘I miss my Harland,’ it’s like kills me. And even just being a writer on it, like it still kills me. I know what’s gonna happen. We made it up, but it’s still just pierces my heart every time. It’s her. Like, if you write a song that makes your own self cry, I guess we did something right.”
Ahead of the 2023 ACM Awards, Lambert had jaws dropping on the red carpet. Styled by Tiffany Gifford, she made her way down the red carpet in a stunning electric blue gown by Lê Thanh Hòa. She topped off her look with Le Silla pumps and earrings and a ring by Gismondi 1754.
Her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, was by her side on the red carpet and inside the show.
Lambert was nominated for five ACM Awards. With her latest nominations, Lambert made history as she earned her record-breaking 17th Female Artist of the Year nomination, surpassing Reba McEntire, who has 16 total Female Artist of the Year career nominations.
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards featured performances by Jason Aldean, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBryde, Dolly Parton, Jelly Roll, Ed Sheeran, HARDY, Keith Urban, The War And Treaty, Lainey Wilson, Bailey Zimmerman and more.
Nine awards were announced during the live broadcast, including Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Duo of the Group, Group of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Event of the Year. Several winners were also announced ahead of the show.
Additionally, “Country Music’s Party Of The Year” featured a star-studded list of collaborations and unforgettable moments. Reigning ACM Female Artist Of The Year Carly Pearce teamed up with Trisha Yearwood to perform a special medley of in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Yearwood winning Female Artist Of The Year.
Meanwhile, Cole Swindell joined forces with Jo Dee Messina to deliver an epic performance of the “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” remix and Ashley McBryde took fans to Lindeville with a performance of “Bonfire At Tina’s.”
Gabby Barrett, BRELAND, Brandy Clark, Jordan Davis, Mickey Guyton, Tyler Hubbard, Dustin Lynch, T.J. Osborne, Jon Pardi, Carly Pearce, MacKenzie Porter, Dak Prescott, Emmitt Smith, Tanya Tucker, Keith Urban and Trisha Yearwood served as presenters during the ceremony.
The two-hour awards show streamed live for a global audience across 240+ countries and territories exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.
Co-hosted by country music icons Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks, the 2023 ACM Awards broadcasted live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas at 7/6c.
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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