The Academy of Country Music Awards had its most diverse ceremony in the award show’s history. For the first time in the history of the ACMAs, a Black woman hosted the event honoring country music’s biggest stars. Mickey Guyton, who was also nominated for New Female Artist of the Year, hosted alongside Keith Urban.
No stranger to breaking down barriers in a music genre that has traditionally been reserved for white artists, Guyton was also the first Black female solo artist to sing her own song at the ACMAs in September. In March of last year, she became the first Black solo female artist to earn a Grammy nomination in a country music category. At the awards show, she performed her song “Black Like Me,” which addresses the discrimination she has experienced as a Black woman. The song was released eight days after George Floyd was killed, according to CNN.
“It’s becoming more diverse, and you will see that, and you will feel that,” she said in an interview with Billboard. “And it is such a beautiful thing. We are bridging the gap, and it is so cool to be on that side.”
Aside from hosting, Guyton performed her song “Hold On” during the show, which aired last night on CBS. The ceremony was broadcasted from three different venues in Nashville, including the Grand Ole Opry House, Bluebird Cafe, and the Ryman Auditorium.
