Ashley McBryde's “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” Named CMA Musical Event Of The Year

Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde are already big winners ahead of tonight’s 56th Annual CMA Awards.

On Wednesday morning, ahead of the live broadcast of the 2022 CMA Awards, it was revealed that Pearce and McBryde’s chart-topping collab, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” was named CMA Musical Event of the Year.

Pearce took to social media to react to the news following the announcement.

“WOWWWW what a way to start #cmaawards day!!! This song means everything to me & seeing the life it has had this year has been so rewarding,” she wrote. “Thank you @cma for this. MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR!!!”

The news was announced live on ABC’s Good Morning America, where country superstar Keith Urban was performing live from downtown Nashville.

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” was a monumental No.1 as it is only the second female duet to top the charts in 30 years.

The song reached No.1 on both the Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts in May. It marks Pearce’s third No. 1 single and McBryde’s first.

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl” was co-written by Pearce and McBryde with Shane McAnally. It appears on Pearce’s latest album, 29: Written In Stone.

Pearce and McBryde performed the duet during the 55th Annual CMA Awards in 2021 when they joined forces for the live debut of the song.

“What’s interesting about this song is we could have gone to a place of blame on the others in the love triangle, but we turned it inward. It’s unique that two women who never meet are getting burned by the same man and having the exact same feelings. We intentionally kept the chorus the same to reflect that neither wanted to be in this position,” Pearce previously shared of the song.

McBryde added, “so many of us know how it is when you go back and start putting all of those pieces together. That moment when you realize the gut punch of the situation. This song isn’t really about being the other woman or even being messed around on as much as it’s about these two people who are exhibiting behaviors they normally wouldn’t – checking text messages, making excuses for why their dates are only on Tuesdays – and realizing it’s all because of the same person.”

The CMA Musical Event of the Year trophy is presented to the artists and producer(s). Also nominated in the category this year were “Beers On Me” by Dierks Bentley with BRELAND & HARDY, “If I Didn’t Love You” – Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood, “Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi), and “Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson).

Also during GMA, Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t” was announced as the winner of Music Video of the Year.

Winners in the remaining categories will be revealed tonight during the 56th Annual CMA Awards, broadcasting LIVE from Nashville on Wednesday, November 9 (8-11 pm EST) on ABC.

“Country Music’s Biggest Night” will be co-hosted by two-time CMA Entertainer Of The Year Luke Bryan and NFL superstar Peyton Manning.