From the red carpet fashion to the emotional acceptance speeches, this year’s ACM Awards were full of memorable moments. But the highlight of the show was arguably the star-studded lineup of performances, from Dua Lipa‘s surprise cameo with Chris Stapleton to host Reba McEntire‘s blazing closing number.
Lainey Wilson opened the show — which was produced by Dick Clark Productions — with a cover of “God Blessed Texas,” a fitting tribute given the ceremony’s location in Frisco, Texas. Billboard‘s latest cover star went on to sing her new single “Hang Tight Honey,” just hours before she won entertainer of the year later in the night.
The ceremony also featured knockout showcases from Jelly Roll — who went on to take home music event of the year for his “Save Me” collaboration with Wilson — as well as Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. Several notable duets also took place on the 2024 ACMs stage, with Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani appearing for a husband-wife duet of their song “Purple Irises” and Noah Kahan joining Kelsea Ballerini for a joint performance of “Stick Season” and “Mountain With a View.”
Plus, Stapleton took the entire world by surprise when Dua Lipa joined him onstage for a duet of his Higher track “Think I’m in Love With You.” Later, the country crooner told Billboard that the performance came together in just two days, while the “Levitating” singer revealed that “lots of zip-up hoodies and running in and out of the arena” were involved in keeping their rehearsals secret.
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