CNN
—
Wednesday was a great night for Jelly Roll at the 2023 CMA Awards.
The artist not only opened the show with surprise guest Wynonna Judd, but also gave an inspiring acceptance speech after winning New Artist of the Year.
Jude joined her for an emotional performance of her hit song “Need a Favor.”
On a set that looked like a church, Jelly Roll accompanied a choir before Judd arrived, surprising the audience, duet.
He then returned to the stage to accept his award and said “there’s something poetic about a 39-year-old winning New Artist of the Year”.
“I don’t know where you are in your life or what you’re going through, but I just want to tell you to keep going, baby. As the live audience cheered him on at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, I wish I could tell you, ‘Victory is on the other side.’ “I want to tell you, ‘It’s going to be okay!’ I want to tell you that the mirror is bigger than the windshield for a reason, because what is in front of you is more important than what is behind you!”
The tattooed singer/songwriter/rapper had quite the year.
In addition to being the most nominated male artist at the CMA Awards with five awards, he released his debut album, “Whitchit Chapel,” and won Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and Digital-First Performance of the Year in April. for his single “Son of a Sinner” at the CMT Awards.
