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ACM Awards 2020: Maren Morris moves viewers with ‘To Hell & Back’, fans say the performance hit them hard

The rendition is an acceptance song about unconditionally loving a person for their entire journey

The power of music to heal is colossal. It can render soul-stirring comfort in times of crises like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that has brought our lives to a halt. ACM Awards 2020 that kicked off on September 16 comforted viewers with music as it celebrated the best of country music talents and sent the audience into a world of ballads, folk tunes and old-time renditions with the splendid line-up of performances.

Among the performers is Maren Morris who has earned five nods at this year's awards. The country singer performed "To Hell & Back" from her album GIRL, from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 16 night. ACM Awards tweeted her spellbinding performance. 

This was her first big awards show performance since giving birth to her son, Hayes Andrew Hurd, in March. Hoping that her son will be able to watch her perform, she earlier said, “I don't know what time in the show I am, but he can stay up a little late to watch Mom. I don't think it's quite registered [to him] that the people on the TV are real,” as quoted in The Boot. 

Morris' most recent album, ‘Girl’, was released in 2019. The project landed her two significant number 1 hits --the album's title track, ‘Girl’ followed by ‘The Bones.’ Thematically, the rendition is an acceptance song about unconditionally loving a person for their entire journey.

‘Girl' has been quite an acclaimed album. Guitar Girl Magazine reported that Maren received RIAA Gold certification for the album, which broke the record for the largest ever debut streaming week for a country album by a woman, with 23.96 million streams in its first week in March.

No sooner than she performed her soulful performance, her fandom took to social media to shower her with praises. Some called her an incredible artist while others expressed how she has played several roles in life. Fans were emotionally charged during her act and also bestowed her with the title of country queen. A fan wrote, “Maren Morris performed her new single, ‘To Hell and Back’, a song about accepting others flaws and loving them, at the 55th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards just a few moments ago. What a truly moving moment for such an artistic, incredible artist.” 

Another compared her with singer Luke Combs and called her queen. “You’re gonna tell me that Luke Combs is pop (he’s not) and NOT Maren Morris?? Maren is a queen and she is not pop, but she’s closer to pop than Luke.” Some fans felt emotional and said the song hit them hard. “Maren was so good, crying again. ‘To hell & Back’ is my favorite song she's ever released and it always hits me hard.” 

Some highlighted the various roles she has played in life. “Mom, wife, fashion guru, and musical badass—love a woman who can do it all, Maren Morris! #ACMawards.” Others were in complete adoration for her. “Absolutely adored Maren Morris’s performance! ACM awards.” 

The other performances at the show had celebrated artists including Taylor Swift, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Dan and Shay, Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen.