Country music fans knows that the genre isn’t always kind to women artists. It’s harder for them to get played on the radio and to get nominated for awards. But yesterday, October 18, Carrie Underwood was one of a handful of women to receive a CMT Artist of The Year Award. The pregnant star used her speech to speak out for all women in country, and she performed a medley of songs by iconic female artists. She did it all with style, as her baby bump looked absolutely adorable in two sparkly dresses. Click through the gallery for all the info on Carrie’s night.
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Carrie, 35, wore a short, royal blue sequined dress for the red carpet before the show. It perfectly showed off her adorable baby bump. Later in the night, the "Cry Pretty" singer changed into a short black and gold sequined number.
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The superstar was one of several women to receive a CMT Artist of The Year award, including
Hillary Scott,
Maren Morris,
Miranda Lambert,
Kelsea Ballerini,
Kimberly Schlapman, and
Karen Fairchild. It was the first time ever the show had all female honorees.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie wrote in her Instagram post about the awards, "What an incredible night full of amazing, strong, talented, gorgeous, smart, sweet women! I am honored to be in your company and am in awe of each and every one of you! Thank you
@cmt for recognizing women in Country Music!"
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Photo credit: Getty Images
That caption seemed pointed, since fans were outraged over
the 2018 CMA nominations. Not one woman was nominated for Entertainer of The Year.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie touched on this in her acceptance speech as well. "We need more things like this," she said. “You are not here because you are women, you are here because you’re dang good. It is an honor to get to share tonight with you." She accepted her trophy from
Keith Urban.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie also performed
a medley of iconic country songs by female artists with
Maddie & Tae and
Runaway June. It included
Dolly Parton's "9 to 5,"
Martina McBride's "Independence Day," and
Shania Twain's "Man I Feel Like A Woman."
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Photo credit: Getty Images
It's notoriously difficult for women to get played on country radio stations. In 2017, just 10.4 percent of the songs that received radio airplay were by women, according to
The Tennessean. Carrie told
a podcast last month, "Think about all of the little girls that are sitting at home saying, ‘I want to be a country music singer.’ What do you tell them? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, ‘Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it.’ When that’s… not the case right now."
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Photo credit: MEGA
What do you think of Carrie speaking out for women in country? Sound off in the comments!
Carrie, 35, wore a short, royal blue sequined dress for the red carpet before the show. It perfectly showed off her adorable baby bump. Later in the night, the "Cry Pretty" singer changed into a short black and gold sequined number.
Photo credit: Getty Images
The superstar was one of several women to receive a CMT Artist of The Year award, including
Hillary Scott,
Maren Morris,
Miranda Lambert,
Kelsea Ballerini,
Kimberly Schlapman, and
Karen Fairchild. It was the first time ever the show had all female honorees.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie wrote in her Instagram post about the awards, "What an incredible night full of amazing, strong, talented, gorgeous, smart, sweet women! I am honored to be in your company and am in awe of each and every one of you! Thank you
@cmt for recognizing women in Country Music!"
Photo credit: Getty Images
That caption seemed pointed, since fans were outraged over
the 2018 CMA nominations. Not one woman was nominated for Entertainer of The Year.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie touched on this in her acceptance speech as well. "We need more things like this," she said. “You are not here because you are women, you are here because you’re dang good. It is an honor to get to share tonight with you." She accepted her trophy from
Keith Urban.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Carrie also performed
a medley of iconic country songs by female artists with
Maddie & Tae and
Runaway June. It included
Dolly Parton's "9 to 5,"
Martina McBride's "Independence Day," and
Shania Twain's "Man I Feel Like A Woman."
Photo credit: Getty Images
It's notoriously difficult for women to get played on country radio stations. In 2017, just 10.4 percent of the songs that received radio airplay were by women, according to
The Tennessean. Carrie told
a podcast last month, "Think about all of the little girls that are sitting at home saying, ‘I want to be a country music singer.’ What do you tell them? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, ‘Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it.’ When that’s… not the case right now."
Photo credit: Getty Images
What do you think of Carrie speaking out for women in country? Sound off in the comments!
