Garth Brooks Reflects on Emotional CMA Awards Performance of 'Stronger Than Me'

Garth Brooks debuted his new song, "Stronger Than Me," during the 2018 CMA Awards, sharing the song for the first time not only with the world, but also with his wife, Trisha Yearwood. For Brooks, used to performing in front of sold-out stadiums, taking the stage during country music's biggest night was a huge responsibility.

"You're trying to represent country music, as a whole," Brooks shared with PopCulture.com and other media backstage at the CMA Awards. "Out there in live [shows], they kind of know you, flaws and all, and they still show up, and that's the sweetest thing you can give somebody, is them being themselves and it's okay. That's the sweetest gift."

"But when you play on TV, there's people that are tuning in that might know you or might not," he continued. "It doesn't matter how long you've been in the business, they might like you, might not, no matter how long you've been in the business. That pressure is a little more, and all you want to do is represent country music, and yourself the best."

The Oklahoma native admitted that the song, which says "Every now and then she just wants me to hold her / But that don't mean she's weak /The fact that you're unafraid to let your feelings show just means you're stronger than me," was very personal to the couple, even though Brooks didn't write it.

"There are points in your life you never get across," Brooks said. "You both just get to this point, where you argue and argue and then you just get exhausted, and you're done, and that's kind of our way. We have two or three points in our life like that."

"That song addresses two of those three points, so I noticed when I looked up at her, at those points, she was kind of laughing, smiling, and crying at the same time," he continued, "so this song's going to actually make our relationship better, whether it does anything in the business or not."

Brooks was the 2017 CMA Entertainer of the Year, a title that Keith Urban now holds. Although Brooks didn't receive any nominations this year in any category, the country music icon certainly wasn't upset by that fact.

"The fact that [I'm] not nominated for Entertainer of the Year is going to make it a much more fun night for me to relax and just enjoy it all," Brooks revealed. "So this is probably going to be my most enjoyable CMA [Awards] yet. Because I get to go with the love of my life, my best friend, we get dressed up and probably get to go to Taco Bell afterwards."

Photo Credit: Getty images/Erika Goldring