Sparks Fly During Luke Combs' Fiery Performance To Kick Off 2025 CMA Awards

Luke Combs ignited the Bridgestone Arena stage (literally) with a full throttle performance during the 59th CMA Awards on Wednesday night (November 19) in Nashville, Tennessee.

Combs kicked off the show with “Back in the Saddle,” an anthem he released over the summer that served as the first single of “so much more music coming up.” The powerhouse singer-songwriter paired the song with a music video directed by Tyler Adams and featuring NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Richard Petty. Combs previously confirmed there’s a hidden “Easter egg” in the visual: “Daytona 499. Go back and watch the video and you’ll see what I mean. And one day it will make sense. That’s all I can say for now.”

Since releasing “Back in the Saddle,” the North Carolina-born country star delivered a 3-track collection called The Prequel. That collection included “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “15 Minutes” and “Days Like These.” Combs said when he released the songs last month that “it’s crazy. I just feel like it’s the first time I put music out in quite some time, and I’m nervous about it. I’m nervous to see what you guys will think about it. I’m really confident in these songs that we’ve recorded and I know that you guys have been waiting for music for a long time. I’ve just been kind of doing as much as I can, raising the kids… It’s just wild. It’s just wild. Time flies, and it feels like I’ve been doing this forever and for six months at the same time, if that makes any sense.”

Combs, who recently announced with his wife that Baby No. 3 is on the way, will kick off his “My Kinda Saturday Night Tour” with special guests Dierks Bentley, The Script, The Teskey Brothers, Thomas Rhett, Ty Myers, Jake Worthington, Thelma & James and The Castellows on select dates.

Other artists in the star-studded lineup throughout the evening included Kelsea Ballerini, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Riley Green, Miranda Lambert, Patty Loveless, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, Chris Stapleton, BigXthaPlug, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, Lainey Wilson and Stephen Wilson Jr., Keith Urban and Little Big Town. Presenters and special guests included Lady A, Alison Brown, Jessica Capshaw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lauren Daigle, Jordan Davis, Elizabeth Hurley, Cody Johnson, Bert Kreischer, Brandon Lake, Ella Langley, Steve Martin, Leanne Morgan, Ne-Yo, Chris O’Donnell, Kimberly Perry, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Ritchson, Lara Spencer, Billy Bob Thornton, Grace Van Patten, Gretchen Wilson and Bailey Zimmerman.

The 59th CMA Awards is airing live on ABC. The show will be available to stream on Thursday (November 20) on Hulu. Check back with iHeartCountry throughout the evening for a live-updated list of winners, red carpet fashion, performance highlights, backstage moments you won’t see on TV, and other can’t-miss moments throughout the show.