Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown have been announced as hosts of the 2021 CMT Music Awards, set to air June 9. Ballerini is new to the role; Brown returns for a second consecutive year.
The show will air not just on CMT but on five other MTV Entertainment Group outlets — MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network and TV Land.
Little has been revealed about the show to date — still MIA: performers, presenters, a location and the presence or non-presence of an audience — but nominations for the awards are being promised for Thursday morning.
For anyone feeling a sense of deja vu, the 2020 CMT Awards were held just last October, as one of many kudocasts that delayed a spring or summer berth to the fall as a result of the pandemic. Brown co-hosted last fall’s show with fellow country artist Ashley McBryde and actor Sarah Hyland.
Fan voting will start after the nominees are announced Thursday at vote.cmt.
“The CMT Awards are so special because they are truly fan-voted,” Ballerini said in a statement. “Following a year-plus where we have not been able to be with the fans and share music together will make this night even more special.”
“I loved getting a chance to host the CMT Music Awards last year,” said Brown, “and I’m excited to be back this year with Kelsea. The CMT Music Awards are special to me — it’s the first industry award I won and getting on that stage was an amazing feeling. I love that the fans get to have their voices heard as we celebrate the best in country music.”
This year’s show is executive-produced by CMT’s Margaret Comeaux, Switched On Entertainment’s John Hamlin and Amy Lin Johnson. Jackie Barba and Heather D. Graffagnino are execs in charge of production.
