Country music delivered a stunning rebuke of its fan base by embracing a bunch of drag queens.
Country singer Kelsea Ballerini opened the CMT Music Awards with a tribute to victims of the Nashville school shooting and then danced alongside drag queens.
The victims attended The Covenant School, a Christian school. They were gunned by a transgender shooter – a woman who thought she was a man.
CMT left that detail out of its program.
“The queens stayed behind her as she played her pink guitar, but later in the performance, the fierce foursome helped take off Ballerini’s green jacket for a fashion reveal, and the five of them then sashayed down a catwalk, out into the audience as confetti rained down,” CMT reported.
The appearance of drag queens was an overtly political statement as many states consider banning children from attending sexually provocative drag shows.
Country superstar Shania Twain was given the Equal Play Award, recognizing her for being a “visible and vocal advocate” for diverse voices in country music. She performed her song, “Man, I Feel Like a Woman.”
Two of my favorite things: @KelseaBallerini & #DragRace alum 💞
— MTV (@MTV) April 3, 2023
Kelsea, @kennedyddoftx, @janjanjan, @manilaluzon, & @TheOliviaLux came together for this incredible performance of “IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO)” at the #CMTAwards! pic.twitter.com/nIBBho1T4S
Country music has gone full-blown woke – embracing drag queens and transgenderism at the #CMTAwards2023 #Breaking The music industry has ruined Nashville.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) April 3, 2023
These Queens are SLAYING the #CMTAwards carpet 👏👏 @RuPaulsDragRace pic.twitter.com/SpoEyu4BVq
— CMT (@CMT) April 2, 2023