Highlights
- Taylor Swift will perform at the 60th annual CMA Awards on November 18, marking her first performance at the ceremony since 2013.
- The singer last took the CMA stage with an acoustic performance of Red alongside Alison Krauss and Vince Gill.
- Swift is also nominated for Single of the Year for I Knew It, I Knew You, her original song for Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 5.
Taylor Swift is returning to the country music stage that helped launch her career, with the singer set to perform at the 2026 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards for the first time in 13 years.
The announcement was made by the Country Music Association and ABC on Friday (November 13), confirming Swift's participation in the 60th annual ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee.
Her return comes more than a decade after she last performed at the awards show in 2013, when she sang an acoustic version of Red alongside country music stars Alison Krauss and Vince Gill.
Taylor Swift revisits her country music beginnings
Although Swift has since become one of the world's biggest pop stars, her career began in country music, with the CMA Awards playing an important role in her early success.
She first attended the ceremony in 2006 and won her first CMA Award, the Horizon Award (now known as New Artist of the Year), in 2007.
In 2009, she became the youngest artist to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award, a record she still holds. She went on to win the honour again in 2011.
At the 2013 ceremony, Swift received the prestigious Pinnacle Award, recognising her achievements and influence in country music. She also performed Red with Krauss and Gill, marking her last musical appearance on the CMA stage.
Although she has not performed at the ceremony since then, Swift attended in 2016 to present Garth Brooks with the Entertainer of the Year award.
Taylor Swift earns another CMA nomination
Swift's return to the country music spotlight also comes with a nomination at this year's ceremony.
She is nominated for Single of the Year for I Knew It, I Knew You, her original song for Disney and Pixar's upcoming film Toy Story 5.
The nomination marks her 26th career CMA nod. The song has also returned her to the country music conversation, connecting her recent work with the genre that shaped her early career.
Swift joins a performance line-up featuring Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Cody Johnson, Tucker Wetmore, Tim McGraw, Zach Top and The Red Clay Strays, among others.
When and where to watch the 2026 CMA Awards
The 60th annual CMA Awards will take place at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 18.
Hosted by Lainey Wilson for the third consecutive year, the ceremony will air live on ABC and Disney+ from 8pm to 11pm ET. It will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day.
Swift's return marks a notable moment for the ceremony, bringing her back to the country music stage where some of the earliest milestones of her career took place.
