Carrie Underwood Says Ashley McBryde Deserves CMA Award for New Artist of the Year

While Carrie Underwood might be hosting the 2019 CMA Awards tonight with help from both Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, she doesn’t have any say in who will walk away with a trophy. But if she could pick for New Artist of the Year, the “Drinking Alone” singer says she thinks the award should go to Ashley McBryde.

“Ashley McBryde seems so genuine and so sincere, and she has an incredible voice. ” Underwood said on the Ty Bentli Show. “More than anything, I loved sitting, I was sitting in front of her at the ACM Awards, and she was just so happy and positive. She was glad she was there. And I feel like we’ve all been to so many awards shows, and it’s like, ‘We get dressed up and we go, and it’s great,’ but she’s like, ‘We’re at the ACMS! Oh my gosh! Can you believe this? We’re nominated!’”

“There was a category we were in and didn’t win or whatever, and she was like, ‘We just lost to so-and-so at the ACMs!’ she continued. “She was just so positive and happy … I feel like that’s something that we all lose sight of. It was just fun to be around somebody with such a fresh perspective.”

McBryde is undoubtedly hoping she takes home her first CMA Award, but if she doesn’t, chances are good she is pulling for Pearce.

“We work together,” McBryde told ABC Radio, speaking of Pearce. “Carly and I, we like to sing songs together and hang out. I really respect everybody in the category. So for people that you work with closely to celebrate you in a category like that, it’s awesome! It feels really good.”

McBryde is nominated for New Artist of the Year alongside Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen and Midland. In addition to her nomination, McBryde will also perform as part of a collaboration with Kelsea Ballerini, Runaway June, Lindsay Ell and Madie & Tae.

Other performances for the night will include Eric Church, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum with Halsey, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Old Dominion, Garth Brooks with Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves with Willie Nelson and more.

Two CMA Awards were handed out earlier in the day. Musgraves won Video of the Year, for “Rainbow,” while Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X won for “Old Town Road.”

The 2019 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: Getty / Duane Prokop