The country singer is turning heads on the red carpet before she co-hosts the show with Kane Brown Wednesday night.
Kelsea Ballerini is pulling out all the stops for the 2021 CMT Music Awards!
The 27-year-old singer, who is hosting the annual awards show with Kane Brown in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday, turned heads on the red carpet, giving us ultimate Barbie vibes. Ballerini wore a tight-fitting hot pink top by designer LaQuan Smith, which she paired with matching pants and heels.
For her beauty look, Ballerini rocked a middle part, keeping her platinum blonde locks down with a subtle wave. She also added two braids to frame her face, keeping her makeup look simple.
Speaking to ET on the red carpet, Ballerini joked about feeling like Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) from Friends in the tight leather ensemble. As fans of the long-running series may recall, Ross had an unforgettable scene in Season 5, Episode 11 -- The One With All The Resolutions -- in which he used lotion and baby powder to fit into his own leather pants.
"It's like '90s and futuristic at the same time, it's a whole thing," Ballerini said of her look. "I can walk, I just feel like Ross in that Friends episode, like getting it on was a whole situation. Every time I walk, I don't know if you can hear this, but I squeak."
"Getting it on is OK, getting it off is really difficult," she added. "And it's during a quick change that I have to get out of this and into the next look, so that's the real mystery of the night for me."
Wednesday's ceremony marks Ballerini's first time hosting the fan-voted awards show, while Brown returns for a second year.
"I’m so excited to be hosting the 2021 CMT Music Awards with Kane! The CMT Awards are so special because they are truly fan voted," Ballerini said in a statement. "Following a year plus where we have not been able to be with the fans and share music together, will make this night even more special."
She also joked about gearing up for the gig via Instagram, writing, "Will I remember how to be out of sweatpants and use words in an arena of people? But regardless I’ll be hosting anddddd performing a new song on the @cmt awards I'M SO EXCITED GUYS."
In addition to serving as co-host, Ballerini will take the stage to perform a new song with Paul Klein from LANY. "Guyssss @thisislany and I wrote a song together and get to perform it live for the first time ever for you this Wednesday on the @cmt awards and available everywhere after," she teased on Instagram. "I'M SO STOKED ✨."
Ballerini has also been nominated for three CMT Music Awards this year, including Video of the Year for "hole in the bottle."
The 2021 CMT Music Awards air Wednesday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT on CMT, with a five channel simulcast across MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network and TV Land. Each winner is selected by the fans.
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