Country music duo Maddie & Tae had a reason to raise a glass of champagne last night (April 11) after the 2022 CMT Music Awards. Maddie Font and Tae Kerr scored their first-ever CMT Music Award for their fun-filled music video, “Woman You Got,” in the Group/Duo Video of the Year category.
Kerr was not in attendance at the star-studded affair, as she was tucked away at home taking care of her newborn daughter, Leighton Grace. The songstress spent 53 days in the NICU, until her and husband Josh Kerr received the green light to leave.
A few weeks after their departure from the hospital, Kerr and bandmate Font received another blessing – a massive win at the CMT Music Awards. While Kerr made an appearance via video, Font accepted the accolade on the band’s behalf in person.
Font did not hold back tears while delivering her faith-centric acceptance speech, where she acknowledged significant individuals on their team and fans who voted.
“I missed you. I missed you so much. I can’t do this without you. That’s my girl,” Font said, looking up at the screen. “I want to thank our fans. But most importantly, the resilience that God has built in us and our team. The clarity he has given us. The strength he gives us. The vision God gives us and the peace he brings. This is much bigger than a music video award,” she concluded while also praising CMT.
Cheers, @MaddieandTae Y’all taking home a #CMTAward is definitely worth a party!!! pic.twitter.com/0rZqjIRnW8
— CMT (@CMT) April 12, 2022
After claiming the iconic trophy, the hitmaker ran backstage to call Kerr. Through tears, she expressed her excitement and warned her best friend that she was heading to her house to celebrate.
“Can we come to your house, and can we just get drunk? Did you already pump?” she asked the new mother.
With the “Strangers” singer still on speakerphone, Font made an announcement that she had already pumped [breast milk] for the baby and that they were “ready to party.”
Maddie & Tae mentioned that they walked away from the ceremony empty-handed for about eight years, making the honor a huge career milestone. The dynamic duo snagged the title from big names – Brothers Osborne, Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, Parmalee, and Zac Brown Band.
Tune in for the CMT Music Awards Extended Encore, featuring an additional 30 minutes of performances and bonus footage, airing Friday, April 15 at 8/7c on CMT.