Wynonna Judd reacts to fans concerned over her CMA Awards performance: 'All is well'

Judd opened the awards show with Jelly Roll, singing his song "Need a Favor."

November 9, 2023, 2:33 PM

Wynonna Judd is responding to fans after some voiced concerns for her during her opening performance with Jelly Roll at the 57th annual Country Music Association Awards.

The country music legend sang with Jelly Roll on his hit song "Need a Favor" to open the 2023 CMA Awards on Wednesday night, holding onto his shoulder throughout the performance and leaving fans wondering if she was OK.

"I'm just gonna come clean with y'all," Judd said in a video shared to Instagram after the awards show. "I was so freaking nervous. I got out there and I looked at Jelly Roll, I wanted it to be so good for him."

"I could cry right now, but I'm not going to because I'm such a fan of his and he asked me to sing and I said, 'Absolutely!' I got out there, and I was so nervous that I just held on for dear life," she continued. "And that's the bottom line."

Judd closed out her video telling her fans "all is well."

Elsewhere during the show, Jelly Roll teamed up with K. Michelle for a tribute to The Judds -- the duo consisting of Judd and her late mother Naomi -- with a performance of the duo's song "Love Can Build a Bridge."

Jelly Roll also took home the CMA Award for new artist of the year, delivering an inspiring speech when he took to the stage.

"There is something poetic about a 39-year-old man winning new artist of the year," he began. "I don't know where you're at in your life, or what you're going through, but I want to tell you to keep going, baby. I want to tell you success is on the other side of it. I want to tell you it's going to be OK."

Jelly Roll continued, "I want to tell you that the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason. What's in front of you is so much more important than what's behind you."