The 2021 CMA Awards: Commentary

The 2021 CMA Awards felt quite unlike any other year. It was emotional for me to watch as an Asian American artist. It was a night of triumph for not only the artists who won, but also all of those with dreams and hopes. I saw a glimpse of the future, a glimpse of diversity and inclusivity in country music, a light which flickered within my soul.

Image: LA Times

I found myself teary eyed at multiple moments during the CMA Award Show. I was overwhelmed with pride and triumph for the artists who told their raw stories, the hardworking artists who had finally received recognition, the artists who weren’t afraid to sing their truth. Here are a few of these moments.

Jimmie Allen won “Best New Artist of the Year”, and was only the second Black country musician in history to do so, after Darius Rucker in 2009. To see an artist of color get recognized for their music, their artistry, their work, was incredible. It felt like an underdog victory moment. That being said, it should be surprising that it has taken this long for country music to acknowledge and honor Black artists like this.

Mickey Guyton sang a powerful song about loving her hair alongside Brittney Spencer and Madeline Edwards. It was ethereal and groundbreaking and made me feel all the feelings. I felt slightly satisfied (I will never be fully satisfied) to see that these three strong Black artists were given a platform to sing their stories that night.

Lastly, I’d like to talk about Brothers Osborne’s performance of “Younger Me”, which was a nod to TJ Osborne’s influential coming out last February. He gave an introduction, saying the song was about what he wished he would’ve known when he was younger. This was a major moment in country music. It was emotional to see the amount of love and support in the room for TJ’s bravery in doing what he did.

There seemed to be so many firsts at the CMA Awards Show this November. I wish these hurrah moments weren’t happening for the first time, and I wish we wouldn’t have to be so surprised and amazed to see it. Having diversity and inclusion should be the norm, but nonetheless, I found much hope and light in this past award show.