Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd are attending the CMA Awards as a power couple in 2021, as for the first year ever, they’re both nominated for awards. Their duet, “Chasing After You,” scored nods in both the categories of Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

“It was such a huge morning when they announced, and he got those nominations,” Maren recalls of the day they found out that Ryan had nabbed his first-ever CMA nods. “It’s his first time getting to go to the awards not just as my very handsome date. He’s going as a nominee.”

And while both those trophies went to Kelsea Ballerini and Kenny Chesney’s duet, “Half of My Hometown,” during an early winners announcement before the show, there’s still a big chance that Maren could walk away a winner tonight. She’s nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, a trophy she also won in 2020.

This time around, no one’s more deserving of the title of CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Ryan says.

“I think that award is mostly about who’s on top,” he explains. “I believe that Maren’s the most influential country artist in the world right now. I really appreciate everything she’s outspoken about, and I really appreciate, more than anything, her music and her talent.”

Catch the 2021 CMA Awards on ABC beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET. The show will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

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