Nashville [US], November 13 (ANI): Global pop superstar Taylor Swift is set to return to the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards stage as a performer for the first time in 13 years, with ABC and the Country Music Association announcing her participation on Friday, according to Variety.
Swift had earlier confirmed that she would attend this year’s ceremony after receiving a CMA nomination. However, there had been no official indication about whether she would perform or participate in the event beyond attending as an audience member.
While details of her performance have not yet been revealed, speculation is mounting that it could feature her nominated song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her contribution to the Disney-Pixar film “Toy Story 5.”
Swift’s last performance at the CMA Awards was in 2013, when she received the prestigious Pinnacle Award and performed “Red” alongside Vince Gill and Alison Krauss, according to Variety.
Her most recent appearance at the ceremony came in 2016, when she made a surprise appearance during the closing moments of the show to present the Entertainer of the Year award to Garth Brooks.
This year’s ceremony also marks the 20th anniversary of Swift’s first appearance at the CMA Awards, which came shortly after the release of her self-titled debut album. She won her first CMA Award in 2007, taking home the Horizon Award, which recognises the best new artist.
In 2009, Swift created history by becoming the youngest artist to win the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year honour, according to Variety.
However, with the release of her album “1989” in 2015, Swift made a decisive shift towards pop music, choosing the genre over country. Despite the transition, she maintained strong ties with the country music community.
Her latest release, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” marks her first completely new song in more than a decade to be promoted as a country track. The song also reached No. 1 on country radio, signalling her renewed connection with the genre.
In the intervening years, Swift continued to explore country influences through tracks such as “Betty” and the vault-track duet “I Bet You Think About Me,” featuring Chris Stapleton.
The 60th annual CMA Awards will be hosted by Lainey Wilson and broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, from 8 pm to 11 pm ET/PT, on ABC and Disney+. The ceremony will also be available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
Other performers announced for the ceremony include leading nominee Ella Langley, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Kacey Musgraves, The Red Clay Strays, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Megan Moroney, Mumford & Sons, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr.
Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Halestorm, Hardy and Marcus King are also scheduled to participate in a special tribute to Brooks & Dunn. A separate tribute celebrating country music legend Dolly Parton is also planned, according to Variety.
Apart from earning a CMA nomination for “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the song, co-written by Jack Antonoff, is also being campaigned for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category. It has additionally been submitted for consideration in the Song of the Year category at the Grammy Awards.
Swift’s return to the CMA stage comes at a significant moment in her career, bringing her back to the country music platform where her journey to stardom began, two decades after her debut appearance, according to Variety. (ANI)