American Country Star Thomas Rhett Will Host 2024 CCMA Awards with MacKenzie Porter

Country music is having a major moment, and the CCMA Awards is getting one of the genre's biggest stars.

Thomas Rhett will host the Canadian Country Music Association's annual award ceremony on September 14, 2024 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. And the American star will be joined by a homegrown star in the making, Alberta singer and actor MacKenzie Porter.

This year's awards take place during a big time in Canadian country, with major festivals popping up across the country and new bridges being made with Nashville.

In addition to topping Billboard's Country Airplay chart 20 times, Rhett also has 16 No. 1 hits on Canadian country radio, so he's a natural choice to cross the border to host Canada's biggest country music awards.

“The way Canadian fans have embraced me throughout my career is something I never take for granted," Rhett tells Billboard Canada. "Every time we come there, we are blown away by the energy they bring and the love they have for country music."

Travelling between Canada and Nashville, Porter is also making a big splash on both sides of the border. With 900 million streams already, she's got a new album, Nobody's Born With a Broken Heart, coming out on April 26 on Big Loud Records.

"The CCMAs are truly one of my favourite events of the year," says Porter. "It's always so inclusive and supportive of everyone, from Canada’s biggest acts to the up and comers about to take over the scene. I love seeing who is next and who is making waves in the genre. The CCMAs always showcase those new artists."

"I personally think this year is going to be the best show yet," she continues. "Canadian country music has never been better, and having the show in Alberta, home of country music, feels very fitting!"

CCMA's President Amy Jeninga says they carefully selected the hosts "based on their significant contributions to the Canadian country music community," with Rhett's major Canadian fanbase playing "a crucial role in our country music ecosystem." Plus, two of his band members are Canadian musicians, she notes. Porter, meanwhile, is a great representative of Alberta's country music scene, she says.

She's also a woman making waves in a genre that is typically overrepresented by male artists. It's also a time when Beyoncé's blockbuster Cowboy Carter album (which is filled with Canadian songwriters) has brought mainstream recognition to the contributions of Black country singers, which many major country music institutions have typically overlooked.

"At the CCMAs, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable culture that reflects the diversity of Canadian country music," says Jeninga. "We prioritize representation and diversity in our nominee selection, performances and award categories to create a welcoming space for all members of the country music community."

Nominations and programming have yet to be announced, but the CCMAs will get a big lead-in from Country Music Week 2024, which kicks off in Edmonton on Wednesday, September 11.

The CCMAs will air on Saturday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca and the CTV app.