Miranda Lambert‘s kind, supportive words bring tears toCarrie Underwood‘s eyes.
On an episode ofThe Ty Bentli Show, the “Southbound” singer, 36, spoke about the bond women in country music share, built on a collective understanding of the setbacks they can face as artists navigating the industry.
In the past two years, no women have been up for the category, and a woman hasn’t won the title sinceTaylor Swiftin 2011.
Chris Polk/ACMA2017/Getty Images
During her interview, the radio hosts played Underwood a clip of Lambert speaking out about why Underwood deserved the award out of all the nominees.
“To me, Entertainer of the Year is who’s represented the genre in every way the best for that year. It was just kinda haunting me, I really felt compelled to say something,” Lambert said in the recording. “Watching Carriehost the CMAs pregnant, and also do the[Sunday] Night Footballcampaign, and also have a brand, and also work with charity, and be awife, and be amother, and then host with two legendary country artists … I just know how much work that is.”
Carrie Underwood.Vivien Killilea/Getty Images
She continued: “She works harder than I do, and I work hard. And I just felt like, as a whole, withher tourand everything she encompasses and what she’s represented for country music, she deserves it. She just does.”
“First — I’m kinda emotional,” Underwood said. “I mean, it’s a nomination for all of us, and it would definitely be, you know, not just a win for all of the things that we’ve been doing, all that stuff that she mentioned that I’m so lucky and blessed enough to do, but I mean you know you watch other women in this industry do the same thing …”
The kind words go both ways too. Underwood just sent birthday wishes to Lambert, who turned 36 on Sunday, captioning apostof the two together: “Happy birthday @mirandalambert !!! Hope you and yours have the best day! Gonna raise my glass to you and all the good times we’ve shared over the years! Here’s to many more! 😘”
Underwood, who’s up againstGarth Brooks,Eric Church,Chris StapletonandKeith Urbanfor entertainer of the year, said she feels women need more opportunities to truly shine in the business.
“We have so much talent, we just need some more open doors,” she said. “And I don’t ever want any woman to feel like they can’t do everything, you know — [that] they can’t have this life and have a family and have all the things going on together and do what they do.”
Reflecting on the current state of the country music world, Underwood said the female artists of the genre are “all in it together.”
“If there’s one incredible thing that’s happened from all of this talk of ‘women in country music,’ it’s the fact that I feel like we’ve all banded together, and we all understand,” she said. “We’re the only ones that can understand because we’re women in this business and they don’t know what it’s like to be us.”
She added: “We lift each other up, we support each other.”
source: people.com
