Maddie & Tae Call CMA Awards a 'Big Family Reunion'

Maddie & Tae, the duo made up of Madison Marlow and Taylor Dye, were nominated for a CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2018 CMA Awards, a category they have been nominated in for the last four years. Although Maddie & Tae lost to Brothers Osborne, for the young women, being in the running made them already winners.

"It's exciting to be nominated, but also nominated with a lot of our friends. We get to cheer everybody on tonight so we're pumped," Marlow told PopCulture.com. "It's a big family reunion tonight."

"I think the nomination alone is just showing that people are recognizing and loving what you're doing," Dye added. "I mean we do what we do because we love it, but the fact that people love it as well is awesome."

Maddie & Tae's latest single, "Friends Don't," from their upcoming, still-untitled new album, is steadily climbing the charts. But the pair also shared another track, "Die From a Broken Heart," which is already becoming a fan favorite.

"It is doing some crazy stuff," Marlow said of the song. "We did not expect this song – we weren't even gonna release it yet, but we wanted our fans to hear that part of the album about heartbreak and kind of what we've been feeling the past couple years. It's just so exciting to finally have it out and the reaction has been making us cry a lot."

The song, which says, "Mama can I come and maybe stay a few days? / This weekend and next / And hey, how do you get a red wine stain out of your favorite dress?" was inspired, at least in part, by the close bond both Marlow and Dye feel with their own parents.

"I had one last night," Marlow revealed. "I had a 'Mama can you die from a broken heart' [moment] last night. Sometimes you just got to cry to your mom. Even if it's not a big deal, you just got to let it out and moms are the best person to talk to."

Maddie & Tae will have plenty of chances to perform both "Friends Don't" and "Die From a Broken Heart" next year, when they hit the road with Carrie Underwood, serving as the opening act on her Cry Pretty Tour 360. Although they both admit they were initially starstruck by the reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Marlow and Dye now see Underwood as much as a friend as a celebrity.

"We got to hang out with her for a performance that we were doing a couple months ago, and so once we like spent time with her we realized like, okay, she's a super human, but she is human and she's so fun to be around and so sweet," Marlow revealed. "It's kind of helped the nerves a little bit, and just the fact that she's been so encouraging to us is helping a little bit. We just want to be awesome 'cause she's taking us on the coolest tour of the year."

Runaway June will also join Maddie & Tae in serving as the opening acts on Underwood's Cry Pretty Tour 360. Find a list of all of Maddie & Tae's upcoming shows by visiting their website.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Monica Schipper