Zach Bryan and Hailey Whitters are officially the New Male and New Female Artists of the Year, the Academy of Country Music confirmed in an early announcement on Tuesday night (May 9).
Bryan and Whitters — known for songs like “Something in the Orange” and “Everything She Ain’t,” respectively — were nominated some of the genre’s biggest rising stars and powerhouse artists in major categories at the 58th annual ACM Awards, set for Thursday evening (May 11) in Texas. Other artists to receive major nods at the highly-anticipated awards show include Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, HARDY, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and many more. Wilson and “Handle On You” artist Parker McCollum won the New Female and New Male Artists of the Year awards last year.
Dolly Parton will return to host the ACM Awards this year, this time with fellow superstar Garth Brooks. Parton is also set to take the stage with the debut performance of the lead single on her forthcoming rock album, which she’s releasing shortly after her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Keith Urban, The War and Treaty, Jelly Roll, Bailey Zimmerman and Ed Sheeran are also set to take the ACM stage, among others.
See the full list of nominees here.
The 58th ACM Awards will take place at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. It’s set for Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT/5 p.m. PT.