K. Michelle and Jelly Roll combined their vocal talent at the 2023 Country Music Awards to perform a stirring rendition of the Judds’ “Love Can Build A Bridge” on Wednesday (Nov. 8) night.
Together, alongside the legendary Fisk Jubilee Singers, K. Michelle and Jelly Roll sang the moving track from the newly released A Tribute to The Judds album at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The duo showcased their vocal range and soulful delivery skills, emoting the song’s hopeful lyrics.
K. Michelle at The 57th Annual CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on November 8, 2023.
“It’s part of who I am,” detailed the Memphis native to US Weekly ahead of the show. “It’s so crazy when I talk to people and they’re like, ‘How does this transition?’ There’s no transition, let’s be honest. This is who I am. This is how I was born. This is how I was raised.”
Michelle described her heartfelt relationship and musical connection with her fellow Tennessee representative who also won the New Artist of the Year award at this year’s CMA awards.
“That’s my outlaw brother. I understand him,” she explained. “We are unusual suspects in country music. I know his whole journey, his struggle. We’re open books. We prevail, we do what we want to do, but most importantly we love the music. The best thing is that we have a mutual respect for each other, and [this pairing] was a match made in heaven.”
With her stage persona Puddin’, K. Michelle’s new era is just beginning; her debut country EP slated for release on Nov. 22. The 45-year-old songstress issued her final R&B project I’m The Problem earlier this year. Fans were introduced to Puddin’ in the album’s bonus track “Tennessee.”
“He had too much to drink again/ And he went from a gentleman/ Into a demon I don’t recognize,” she professes in the Louis York and Claude Kelly production.
Watch K. Michelle and Jelly Roll perform “Love Can Build A Bridge” at the 2023 CMAs and check out “Tennessee” below.
