With the CMA Awards right around the corner, the organization celebrated another year in country music by releasing the list of nominations. It should come as no surprise that female singers dominated the list. For Ella Langley, she walked away with nine nominations. Behind her was Miranda Lambert with seven. And Kacey Musgraves was behind her with five. Continuing to tighten their grip on the industry, Alexandra Kay was thrilled for her fellow female artists. But at the same time, she shared her blunt take on not being nominated herself.
For more than a decade, Kay has explored a career in country music. That career brought her albums like All I’ve Ever Known and her latest Second Wind, which hit streaming platforms in 2025. She also released the single, “Straight for the Heart,” which climbed the US Country Airplay charts. While Kay wasn’t expecting to be nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year or even Entertainer of the Year, she didn’t expect to be snubbed.
Videos by American Songwriter
Being completely honest with her fans, Kay didn’t hold back when it came to her feelings about the decision. “I’m not gonna lie to you guys. I didn’t necessarily expect it, because I don’t actually feel like I’ve had a successful enough year, in the back of my brain, to deserve a Best New Artist Award at the CMAs this year. But, with that being said, I did qualify. This is my first year taking a song to country radio. My song ‘Straight For the Heart‘ climbed up the charts to No. 26.”
[RELATED: Lainey Wilson to Host the CMA Awards for the Third Consecutive Year]
Alexandra Kay Preparing To Prove The CMA Awards Wrong
Landing on the charts was a monumental moment for Kay and her career. And while she was grateful for the chance at country music stardom, she couldn’t help but highlight the run of disappointment that has surrounded her career recently. “I worked my a** off for every single chart position. So when they called me a few weeks ago and told me, ‘We’re done. We’re not pushing the song anymore. It’s not moving up the chart anymore,’ I was devastated.”
If Kay’s song ending its run on country radio wasn’t enough, she added, “I had pretty much the same day I had yesterday, when I found out I didn’t get nominated. And what a failure day looks like for me is lots of tears, lots of doubting myself, lots of anger, lots of just feeling so insignificant. Questioning everything.”
Allowing herself to feel those emotions, Kay wasn’t letting doubt or the CMA Awards dictate her future. While not nominated, the country singer was coping the only way she knew how – “I’m writing some of the best music I have ever written in my entire career. And I did let it get me down, but I’m not going to let it keep me down. So, I’m gonna come back next year, and I’m gonna get it.”
Ready to prove the CMA Awards wrong, Kay turned the disappointment into motivation. She might not have gotten the nomination she wanted, but she wasn’t about to let one list decide where her career went next.
(Photo by Jo Hale/Redferns)
More Latest Music News & Stories
-
Photo by John Anderson/The Austin Chronicle/Getty Images -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 28: Jennifer Nettles performs during the PAC NYC ICONS OF CULTURE Gala at Perelman Performing Arts Center on October 28, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)) -
NASHVILLE, TN – AUGUST 23: Honorees Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton attend the 11th Annual ACM Honors at the Ryman Auditorium on August 23, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for ACM) -
NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL — Season: 2013 — Pictured: Carrie Underwood performs — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images) -
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 10: Lainey Wilson performs during the Windy City Smokeout on July 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 11: Firefighters salute in front of a memorial at FDNY Ten House during a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2026 in New York City. The United States is marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when a group of al-Qaeda hijackers flew airplanes into the World Trade Center, Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) -
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 30: Graham Nash performs onstage during the FIREAID Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at The Kia Forum on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for FIREAID) -
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 07: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) (L-R) Luke Bryan and Riley Green attend day four of CMA Fest 2026 at Nissan Stadium on June 07, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Robby Klein/Getty Images for CMA)