Honestly, canAshley McBryde’s week get any better?
First, she gets to perform her song “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” at theAcademy of Country Music Awardsin Las Vegas on Sunday. Second, she also gets to perform with one of her idols,Eric Church. And, oh yeah, she arrived to Vegashaving already been crowned the winnerof new female artist of the year.
News of McBryde’s big win went viral recently after cell phone video capturedCarrie Underwoodcalling McBryde to tell her she’d won.
“I’m actually glad it was a pre-call award, because I had time to process it,” she told PEOPLE on Saturday. “I think if I found out right then and had to say something besides expletives I would really struggle… In the video I only said one bad word, and I’m kind of proud of that!”
So what was really going through her head when that call came through?
“’Holy s—’ — the most common phrase that goes through my brain. We’re standing in the barn lot out at my little place, and we were burning brush,” she said. “And then the phone rang and it wasCarrie Underwood. I was like, ‘This is like the weirdest feeling. This is the weirdest feeling.’”
“It was really cool — but then I threw my drink,” McBryde added. “I didn’t know they were still filming! I threw my cup across the barn lot, and then I didn’t have a drink so I had to take somebody else’s!”
Matt Cowan/Getty
The week also saw her fans come to her rescue afteran emotional interview withCBS This Morningin which she admitted that despite her success, her father doesn’t exactly accept her career choice, instead hoping she’d move into the medical field. McBryde, who has a close relationship with her mother Martha, fought back tears while talking about her relationship with her dad.
“I didn’t know that was gonna happen,” she told PEOPLE following her ACM rehearsal Saturday. “But the nerve exposed itself, [CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford] gently jumped on it, and I didn’t wanna shy away from it.”
Be sure to check out PEOPLE’sfull ACM Awards coverageto get the latest news on music’s biggest night.
Courtesy Ashley McBryde
Soon after the interview, country music fans started publicly backing McBryde on social media.
“Oh man, did you see Twitter after that? It was insane!” she said. “People tweeting, ‘We’re proud of you! Tell your dad you don’t have to be a healthcare professional to be a success!’ The outpouring of love has been nuts. Country music has the best fans in the entire world of any genre, but especially my fans. I hug people and they hug me back.”
Katie Kessel
The 54th Academy of Country Music Awards are broadcasting live from Las Vegas on Sunday, April 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT on CBS.
source: people.com
