- Shania Twain is hosting the 61st ACM Awards on May 17.
- The event is bringing country music’s brightest stars to Las Vegas.
- Shania explained why she thinks the future of the genre is bright.
Shania Twain is back in Las Vegas, and that is cause for celebration! The 60-year-old icon is in town to mark something off her bucket list—hosting the ACM Awards.
Shania is no stranger to Vegas. The “Come On Over” singer has hosted a trio of residencies in Sin City throughout her career, and feels right at home on the Vegas stage. Still, the country star is ready to bring something new when she steps into her hosting boots for the 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards on May 17 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Shania has a remarkable list of awards to her name, from Grammys to CMAs to ACMs (the organization presented her with its prestigious Poet’s Award in 2022). Now, she’s ready to show her support for a new generation of singers.
“I feel that the new generation coming up has a more free-spirited approach to songwriting, and to their musicality,” she tells Country Living. “I feel like country music is expanding. And I feel like the windows have been opened and the air is getting refreshed.
“So we have a nice influx of fresh air, new artists, and the joy is not bringing in the new and get rid of the old, because that would not suit me very well,” she says, laughing. “I think it's all about being together.”
“Part of my excitement is always to see my old pals that have been around for years in the country music industry, but also to meet the new artists coming up,” she says. “And watch the performances, and just get a feel for where we're going. This is the excitement for me.”
To Shania, the future is bright. “Where are we going? I get inspired by seeing what's possibly to come,” she explains. “Certainly there are more females now. And that just broadens the horizons in general, also, for the audience. The audience wants to see a little bit of everything. They want to be inspired—especially the global audience. They demand it.”
What’s to come for Shania? Her fans have plenty to look forward to. This summer, she’s joining Harry Styles for a dozen dates at Wembley Stadium in London, and she’s getting ready to drop her seventh studio album, Little Miss Twain, on July 24.
Tune in to the 61st Annual ACM Awards on May 17 on Prime Video at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST. A membership is not required to watch.
Katie Bowlby is Digital Director at Country Living, where she covers pop culture news including country music, Yellowstone, and all things HGTV, plus gift guides and product reviews. She has been with Country Living for more than 11 years. Before that, she worked for Southern Living. The Indiana University grad also stitches up the cross-stitch pattern for every issue of the magazine.
