Gabby Barrett Soars at the ACM Awards With ‘I Hope’ With Help From Hubby Cade Foehner [Watch]
Gabby Barrett brought her massively successful debut single to the 2020 ACM Awards stage on Wednesday night, performing her powerhouse revenge anthem "I Hope" from the Ryman Auditorium stage.
The 20-year-old powerhouse country singer gave an impassioned performance from the Ryman in Nashville, bringing a vengeful edge to her vocal delivery of a song about the joy of seeing an ex suffer in a new relationship. Her husband, Cade Foehner, accompanied her on acoustic guitar as he so often does, and Barrett's newly-announced pregnancy was showing as she performed. The couple revealed they are expecting their first child in mid-August.
It was a milestone performance in what has been an incredible journey for the rising star's first song, which she wrote as an independent artist and debuted as a 2018 contestant on American Idol.
Since those relatively humble beginnings, Barrett has taken the song to the top spot on both the Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase radio charts, making her the first solo female act to hit No. 1 with her debut single since Carly Pearce dropped "Every Little Thing" in 2017.
But that's not all Barrett has accomplished over the past couple of years. She also released her first album, Goldmine, in 2020. The project's tracklist includes "I Hope" as well as Barrett's current single, "The Good Ones." Her music has made serious waves over the course of the year, even finding a famous fan in pop star Charlie Puth, who added his voice for a new, dual perspective version of "I Hope" that is also included on the tracklist of Goldmine.
In addition to being a first-time performer at the ACM Awards in 2020, Barrett is also a first-time nominee. She scored a mention in the show's New Female Artist of the Year category. That trophy ultimately went to Tenille Townes, who learned she won after show host Keith Urban surprised her with a Zoom call ahead of the ceremony.