Carrie Underwood ‘Super Excited’ to Host CMA Awards Again

Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley will return to host the 2018 CMA Awards for the 11th year in a row, and the “Cry Pretty” singer says she is eager to take on the role once again.

“We were super excited to get the phone call to ask Brad and me to come back for an 11th year of the CMAs of hosting,” Underwood reveals. “We just always have a lot of fun. It’s definitely a lot of pressure and it’s a lot of work working on the CMAs, but at the end of the day, I love the team that we work with. We have a lot of fun, and we kinda get to be the ones that represent country music and we take our jobs very seriously, but we love what we do.”

Underwood and Paisley, good friends outside of the music industry, began hosting the CMA Awards in 2008, creating plenty of fun memories, on and off stage.

“Looking back, we’ve had so many bits and jokes and things like that, but I think my favorite parts of the whole thing are the things that that we get to be involved in that people don’t see,” Underwood notes. “Looking back, especially on the 50th Anniversary – that was so amazing being part of that open and kind of having that rehearsal band with my band and Brad’s band and all these legendary artists, seeing them all come together and work together.

“They were swapping stories and laughing with each other because there were so many of them that haven’t seen each other in forever either so, it was just an amazing moment to be a part of,” she continues. “I’d say that’s way high up there on my list of favorite moments for the CMAs.”

Underwood will have to wear maternity gowns for the CMA Awards. The 35-year-old recently announced she is expecting her second child.

“Mike and Isaiah and I are absolutely over the moon and excited to be adding another little fish to our pond,” Underwood shares on Instagram. “This has just been a dream come true, with album and with baby news and all that stuff, we’re so excited and so glad that you guys can share in this with us and be a part of this with us.”

The American Idol alum also announced she will embark on her Cry Pretty Tour 360 in May, bringing along an all-female line-up that includes Maddie & Tae and Runaway June.

“We had so much fun in the round on the last tour, because I got to be closer to you guys, and got to see your beautiful faces, and interact with you guys,” Underwood says to her fans. “I’m so excited to be doing another brand-new 360 degree show.

“And of course, we would have nothing less than an amazing line-up,” she continues. “We are bringing along friends Maddie & Tae and Runaway June. It’s going to be absolutely amazing. You guys are just going to absolutely fall in love with them as much as I have, if not even moreso.”

The 2018 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, on Wednesday, November 14, at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Rick Diamond