Leave it to Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan to nail the first crossover performance of the night! At Thursday night’s Dick Clark Productions-backed ACM Awards (May 16), the country superstar teamed up with the chart-topping alt-rocker for a cinematic mash-up of their hits “Mountain With a View” and “Stick Season,” respectively.
Ballerini began her performance in a lacy gold slip dress, lounging retrospectively on a blue couch, effectively recreating the track’s music video. “Mountain With a View” — a somber, cathartic ballad — is the opening track to Ballerini’s Grammy-nominated double album, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, which peaked at No. 11 on Top Country Albums.
Midway through her pitch-perfect, emotive performance, the scene changed to a new set decorated with wild greenery, and a khaki-clad Kahan strumming and singing the opening notes of his Billboard Hot 100 top 10 smash “Stick Season.” By the time he reached the midpoint of the song’s first chorus, Ballerini, now wearing an oversized gray flannel, joined in on an upper harmony, lending her bright voice to Kahan’s hit single.
Soon enough, Ballerini launched back into “Mountain With a View,” delivering her self-penned lyrics over the music of “Stick Season.” The two stars closed the performance with the final chorus of “Stick Season,” sharing a warm hug as the crowd exploded into cheers. The duo set a high bar for the night’s other performances, which include appearances from other non-country music stars such as Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani.
Ballerini is a nominee at this year’s ACMs, earning her 11th career nomination with a nod for female artist of the year.
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