Ashley McBryde took the stage at Nissan Stadium for a performance of “Light On In the Kitchen” during this year’s CMA Fest special, aired on ABC. McBryde released the emotional track earlier this year as the follow-up to her ambitious concept record, Lindeville. In the lyrics, McBryde delivers a powerful message of self-love through the lens of advice her mother gave her.
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Honey, trust yourself / You better love yourself / ‘Til you do you ain’t no good for anybody else / And honey, boys are dumb / But you gonna find you one / You’ll love him hard, and bless your heart / When you need someone to listen / That’s why I leave the light on in the kitchen, she sings in the chorus.
McBryde united the crowd in Nashville with the ballad. While her dynamic vocals rang out over the stadium, the audience added their own voices to the mix. McBryde brought a quiet confidence to the stage. She kept it markedly cool despite singing the soul-touching verses: When you make friends always be color blind / Freckles make you pretty / There’s more to life than being skinny / If you feel fat, it’s mostly in your mind.
Check out the exclusive clip of McBryde’s performance, below.
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The CMA Fest 2023 TV special aired on July 19 on ABC. In addition to McBryde, the special featured performances by Avril Lavigne, Cody Johnson, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Eric Church, HARDY, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Jo Dee Messina, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Leon Bridges, Little Big Town, Luke Combs, Tanya Tucker, Vince Gill, and more.
This year’s CMA Fest marked the 50th anniversary of the event. The organization pulled out all the stops for the special, tapping Dierks Bentley, Lainey Wilson, and Elle King to help host the proceedings.
“Each of these artists have a deep passion for CMA Fest and the country music fans from around the globe who travel to Nashville for the event,” Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have all three of them together to help us celebrate 50 years!”
Photo Credit: Katie Kauss/Courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media
