Taylor Swift ProfileAfter 13 years away from the CMA Awards stage, Taylor Swift returns on Wednesday, 18 November.
Swift, the Country Music Association’s youngest Entertainer of the Year recipient, will perform on the CMA Awards stage for the first time since promoting her Red era in 2013, when Vince Gill and Alison Krauss joined her onstage.
While Swift has been a major pop star since the release of 2014’s 1989, she returned to her country roots this year with the release of the moving country ballad I Knew It, I Knew You, recorded for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
In addition to performing, Swift has been nominated in the Single of the Year category for I Knew It, I Knew You at this year’s CMA Awards.
The recognition marks her 26th nomination – Swift has taken home 11 CMA Awards wins throughout her career, and received her first nomination in 2007 in the New Artist of the Year category.
At the time of publication, it’s unclear what Swift will perform. However, Rolling Stone confirmed that she’s not part of the Brooks & Dunn tribute showcase, which features Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, HARDY, Marcus King, and rock band Halestorm.
Earlier this week, the performers’ line-up for the CMA Awards grew, with Lainey Wilson, host of the impending 60th Annual CMA Awards, joining the bill.
She wasn’t the only one added to the line-up: Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Megan Moroney, Vince Gill, Mumford & Sons, and Stephen Wilson Jr. will all perform.
Presenters for the awards will be announced in the coming days.
Beyond releasing I Knew It, I Knew You, Swift had another country moment in June, when she joined Lainey Wilson on stage for a surprise duet of one of her most beloved songs. Together, the pair sang Swift’s Love Story.
Performing the 2008 country-pop smash hit, Swift and Wilson traded verses and shared harmonies, and once Swift reached the line, “He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring,” she pointed her arm towards the audience, showing off her impressive engagement ring.
After two weeks on the Countrytown Hot 50, I Knew It, I Knew You hit #2 on the Chart.
Toy Story 5 Director and Screenwriter Andrew Stanton said of the single, “It’s incredible just how meaningful it’s been having Taylor write and perform this song.
“Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable. The song is so deeply connected to Toy Story. So much so that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet.”
