Carrie Underwood Stuns CMA Award Crowd With a Gorgeous Duet

Carrie Underwood took the CMA Awards stage for the first time in two years, surprising the live and TV audience by joining Cody Johnson to sing “I’m Gonna Love You.”

Johnson started the song alongside a piano. Then, he flashed a knowing smile to the audience as Underwood began, unannounced.

Wearing an all-white dress and a brown leather corset, the former Entertainer of the Year winner provided an understated vocal as beautiful as it sounds on Johnson’s new deluxe version of his Leather album.

“So good that it almost hurts / Steady and true as a Bible verse / My heart skips just thinking of you / Go on and bet it all baby we can’t lose,” they sing at the chorus.

“Earth’s gonna shake every now and then / Some runaway roads are gonna dead end / And on those days when the world feels cruel / I’m gonna love you.”

Related: 2024 CMA Awards Winners: See the Full List

For the first time ever, Underwood wasn’t nominated for a CMA Award, and since she wasn’t listed as a scheduled performer, fans figured she’d sit this show out.

Rumors began to circulate on social media minutes before her performance, but there was no photo evidence that she’d be joining Johnson, or anyone.

The two singers are considered to be among the best in the genre, but this moment was hardly a competition. In fact, their harmonies build the emotions of this great love song. Neither gets to truly soar like they’re capable of.

Johnson has five nominations for the 2024 CMAs, including Male Vocalist of the Year. Earlier in the week, he told Taste of Country that Entertainer of the Year is one of the dreams he hopes he can make come true soon.