It has been quite the year for country music star Kane Brown as evidenced by his four CMT Music Awards nominations, the most of any artist in 2022.
The Georgia boy is up for “Video of the Year” and “Male Video of the Year,” in addition to his impressive two nods in “CMT Performance of the Year.” One is for “Three Wooden Horses” from the 2021 “Artists of the Year” event, the other for his “Ride Wit Me” collaboration from “Crossroads” alongside Nelly, Blanco Brown and Breland.
The genre-bending star is also handling hosting duties once again this year along with Anthony Mackie and Kelsea Ballerini. It was announced Monday that Ballerini tested positive for COVID-19, preventing her from attending in person. However, she is set to co-host and perform from home. The show will broadcast from Nashville for the first time on CBS while also streaming on Paramount+, Brown is part of a star-studded lineup made up of top acts including Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Old Dominion, Little Big Town, and Miranda Lambert. The Judds are also taking the stage for their first televised performance in more than two decades.
We caught up with Brown ahead of the big show.
How does it feel to have the most CMT Music Awards nominations this year?
Kane Brown: It’s exciting this year because we are coming off of getting back out on the road and releasing new music, and the fans have really embraced all the new stuff. The CMTs are the first show I ever won a country award at and it’s the first show I ever got to officially host, so they will always mean something important to me.
You and some of your fellow nominees, including one of your collaborators Breland, are helping move the needle when it comes to diversity in country music. What does it mean for you to see these steps forward?
It’s always great to see artists get recognized for being themselves. Every artist here has something to offer, and fans can relate to their songs for so many reasons.
You’re nominated for your performance of “Ride with Me” with Nelly and Blanco Brown. What do you make of country music’s ability to cross over to many genres of other music?
Country music is always based on amazing writing and storytelling, and that has always crossed over to reach people from all different backgrounds and from all places. When you look at someone like Dolly Parton, or Shania Twain, they are icons, and their music crosses so many genres. I also think anytime you work with or get to perform with artists from other genres there is something special that can come from showing and recognizing what each artist has to offer
You broke through in your career thanks to covers. How does it feel to be nominated for your cover of “Three Wooden Crosses?” What does that song mean to you, let alone having Randy Travis himself surprise you in the middle of it?
I love Randy. That song really helped me with my career and got me introduced to Randy for the first time when he surprised me at a radio station. I’ve gotten to spend more time with him since then and got to sing it for him a few times, and everything I just think, I hope he’s proud of it and knows how much he is loved by everyone in country music.
You’ve worked with so many artists already. Do you still have that one dream collaboration?
There are so many artists I would love to be able to work with. I think I will get to release some unexpected collaborations soon for everyone, which I’m really excited about.
You’re nominated for Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for “One Mississippi.” in CMT Music Awards What about the video do you think resonates so much? How much fun did you have filming in that carnival setting?
My buddy [director] Alex Alvga is so good at what he does. It was a very early morning shoot with my performance scenes having fire in it, so it wasn’t an easy production. We shot at the fairgrounds before it opened, and everyone worked so hard to make the video happen. He always just makes it work. We have a great team.
What is life on the road like these days? Have you gone to Applebees with Walker Hayes yet?
It’s fun to be back out with the family because [my daughter] Kingsley really loves being out there, and now that we have Kodi, she’s getting used to bus life too. We have not been to Applebees, but he is opening out for me for a few upcoming tour dates including Birmingham in a few weeks, so we are going to have to get on it!
What can you tease about your CMT Music Awards ?
I’m performing my song “One Mississippi,” which is the first number one song we got to have for my publishing company, which makes it so exciting.
2022 CMT Music Awards, April 11, 8/7c, CBS and Paramont+
2022 CMT Music Awards Extended Cut, April 15, 8/7c, CMT
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