Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette and Gwen Stefani are three heavy hitters among an all-female slate of new additions to the 2023 CMT Music Awards performance lineup.
Morissette’s appearance on the awards show stage will be her CMT Music Awards debut. She will lead a group performance of her landmark of her 1995 smash hit, “You Oughta Know,” in celebration of the CMT Next Women of Country’s 10th anniversary, joined by program alumni Ingrid Andress, Lainey Wilson, Madeline Edwards and Morgan Wade, plus Jackie Venson on guitar.
Meanwhile, Twain’s performance will be paired with a special honor for the country legend: She will receive the third annual CMT Equal Play Award, a trophy that goes to an artist whose work amplifies and advocates for “diverse and underrepresented voices” in the country genre. This award has previously been given to Jennifer Nettles as well as Linda Martell, the latter of whom was the first Black woman to perform on the Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw during her trailblazing career in the 1970s.
Stefani is also making her CMT Music Awards debut in 2023 — she’ll take the stage alongside previously-announced performer Carly Pearce, delivering a live rendition of what CMT describes as a “world premiere collaboration.”
Pearce and Stefani have seen quite a lot of each other recently, as Pearce is a supporting act on Blake Shelton‘s Back to the Honky Tonk Tour, and Pearce recently hinted to Taste of Country Nights that a duet between her and Stefani might be in store, but she didn’t drop any details.
The 2023 CMT Music Awards are set to air on Sunday night (April 2) from Moody Theater in Austin, Texas. The ceremony will air on CBS beginning at 8PM ET, and will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.