Nate Smith Overwhelmed With Gratitude As He Lands ACM Nomination

Breakout country star Nate Smith was overcome with emotion as he shared the exciting news with fans that he has been nominated for New Male Artist of the Year at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards.

What ACM Awards Category Is Nate Smith Nominated In?

In a video announcement recently posted to Instagram, the rising star says he received tons of text messages from people letting him know about this incredible feat. His name appears in the esteemed New Male Artist of the Year category alongside fellow nominees Conner Smith, Dylan Scott, Kameron Marlowe, and ERNEST.

“Pretty crazy, pretty crazy feeling. I’m so excited to be a part of this group. I love everybody that has been nominated too. I’m like friends with every one of them on there and except ERNEST, he’s kind of a little bit of brat,” he joked in the clip. 

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The “World On Fire” singer went on to reflect on his journey and everything that happened along the way to lead him to this point. Smith often describes the harrowing moment in 2018 when he lost everything he owned in the devastating Camp Fire that ripped through Paradise, California. Thinking back to that time and now seeing how far he has come in his career as a singer/songwriter, finds Smith being especially grateful for the recognition he is receiving from the Academy of Country Music this year. 

Showing Appreciation To His Fans and Team

“I just I’m so thrilled. I mean, coming from the Camp Fire in Paradise to moving across Nashville and getting here with like nothing and having people come around me and champion me as an artist has been incredibly amazing,” he continued. “I’m so grateful for all of you that have believed in me this this whole time and this is a huge deal. This is a huge, huge, huge deal. So thank you, everyone. Thank you ACMs, The Core, Sony. Love you guys so much.”

Brand-New EP, Through The Smoke

This news comes just a few days after Smith unveiled his new EP Through The Smoke. The seven-track project includes a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box,” as well as new songs like “Wish I Never Felt, “Here’s To Hometowns” and more. Plus, the lead track is Smith’s fan-favorite single, “Bulletproof,’ which has just made its way into the top 25 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

Smith shared about the project, “I’ve been through a lot of adversity in my life, but ‘through the smoke’ came to mind one day and I thought that was the perfect way to describe making it through tragedy. It captures what it looks like on the other side of heartbreak, on the other side of tragedy, on the other side of giving everything you’ve got to go after what you want to do in life. I think this EP is a transition between all the fire and pain and everything I went through, and then overcoming. And that’s what I want people to feel. It’s layered in there.”

Fans can tune in to see if Smith will take home a win on Thursday, May 16 when the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards dubbed “Country Music’s Party of the Year,” is streamed live exclusively on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch Live for a global audience at 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT/5 p.m. PDT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Tickets to attend the ACM Awards are available to purchase now. For a full list of nominees, click HERE.