Kelsea Ballerini Takes Break From Hosting Duties To Perform At The 2024 CMT Music Awards
On top of hosting the 2024 CMT Music Awards, Kelsea Ballerini was also one of the performers!
This was Ballerini’s fourth time hosting the fan-voted awards ceremony. The singer previously co-hosted the show with Kane Brown. But 2024 marked her first time going it solo.
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Ballerini spoke with PEOPLE about the change. While she says “it’s definitely new grounds” to host solo, she feels good about it because of the “energy” around the CMT Music Awards.
“But it’s my fourth year hosting, so I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” said the Grand Ole Opry member. “And the good thing about CMTs is there’s such a light energy, so there’s not a pressure that I feel to be perfect. I just want to be fun, honor the night and help people have a good time.”
Kelsea Ballerini Performs New Version Of First Single “Love Me Like You Mean It”
When Ballerini spoke with PEOPLE, she also shared that she’d be performing at the 2024 CMT Music Awards.
Last year, Ballerini generated some backlash after performing her song “If You Go Down” while accompanied onstage by stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race.
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A few days before the 2024 ceremony, Ballerini shared which song she planned to perform. In a post on Instagram, she told her fans she would be signing a “reimagined” version of her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It.”
“ten years ago, i was twenty, naive, starry eyed, and absolutely relentless on putting my music out into the world. i’m proud to say, nothing has changed…except a DECADE of this wildly beautiful journey we’ve gotten to share full of tours and sing alongs, wins and losses, and growing up together,” Ballerini wrote in her post.
She also dropped a recording of the reimagined song, which she said has “some 2024 spice.”
Ballerini first released “Love Me Like You Mean It” in July 2014. The song reached the #1 spot on the Country Airplay chart and the #5 spot on the Hot Country Songs chart. It has since been certified Platinum by the RIAA.
Watch Kelsea Ballerini Perform “Love Me Like You Mean It” At The 2024 CMT Music Awards In The Video Below
When Ballerini finally took to the stage at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, she…
Ballerini performed outside with a single spotlight on her. She wore a glittery gold outfit, while the crowd surrounding her waved their golden, lit-up armbands in the air.
Her new version of “Love Me Like You Mean It” was slower and more subdued than the original rendition. It had a soft, delicate vibe to it that made it sound like an entirely different song!
In case you missed it, head below to watch a video of Kelsea Ballerini singing her “reimagined” rendition of “Love Me Like You Mean It” at the 2024 CMT Music Awards!