Country music powerhouse Carly Pearce brought her sassy single, “Diamondback,” to the 2022 CMT Music Awards on Monday, April 11. Following Kane Brown’s warm welcome to the stage, the venue went dark, and a live modern string orchestra flawlessly created an attention-grabbing introduction.
Without any hesitation, Pearce exploded onto the stage sporting a rhinestone-fringe ensemble and wowed with her impressive Kentucky twang.
A mixture of diamond and snake graphics filled Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium as she delivered a reviving rendition of the smash hit from her critically acclaimed 2021 record, “29: Written In Stone.”
The fierce performance from Pearce was one that fans have never witnessed before. The multi-platinum vocalist has been sharing her chart-topping single “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with Ashley McBryde, but this time around, Pearce brought a whole new persona to the CMT Awards and decided to kick it up a notch.
With a steady drumbeat holding down the melody and electrifying guitar licks backing her robust vocals, she throws shade at her ex-husband. Throughout the empowering anthem, she rattles off precious belongings they once shared but clarifies that she’s keeping the diamond ring.
“Keep the house, keep the truck| Go downtown, get too drunk | Kiss a one-night stand with a butterfly on her back |Take the bed where you used to lie | Keep the friends I never liked |And the happy ever after welcome mat | But you ain’t gonna get this diamond back | No never ever getting’ this diamond back | You can keep the dog and the Cadillac| But you ain’t gonna get this diamond back,” she belted while holding up her hand to showcase a massive rock.
Pearce co-wrote the revenge-like track alongside hitmaker Kelsea Ballerini, Tofer Brown, and we-respected songwriter-producer Shane McAnally.
Pearce rolled into music city’s biggest party with two nominations. The moving duet, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” with McBryde received a nomination in the Collaborative Video of the Year category, and tribute track “Dear Miss Loretta” from CMT:60 Songs scored her a spot in CMT-Digital-First Performance of the Year.
Fans who missed the CMT Music Awards could catch the Extended Cut on April 15 on CMT. The must-watch version will consist of 30 additional minutes and will have extra never-before-seen content.