Nashville, TN – Wynonna Judd, the celebrated country music icon, found herself at the center of concern and speculation following her CMA Awards 2023 performance alongside newcomer Jelly Roll. But the 59-year-old singer took to Instagram and TikTok to set the record straight, reassuring her fans that she is doing just fine.
In a candid and heartfelt video post on her social media platforms, Judd addressed what many had perceived as “bizarre” behavior during her duet at the star-studded event. Her post began with a simple yet telling caption: “Don’t read the comments’ they say…” The accompanying video featured Judd, visibly more relaxed than during her performance, with a warm smile on her face.
In the video, she admitted, “Don’t read the comments, I read the comments! I’m just gonna come clean with y’all. I was so freaking nervous.” Her vulnerability shone through as she continued, “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. And that’s the bottom line.”
Wynonna Judd emphasized that despite the nerves and the appearance of her gripping Jelly Roll tightly, “all is well.” She assured her fans that she is already on her way back to Texas to resume her Back to Wy Tour.
Following her performance in Nashville, she also spoke backstage about her role as a mentor and supporting emerging talent. “I have to show up for people like people did me,” Judd told “Entertainment Tonight.” “That’s my job now is to pass it on because people have been so generous with me, and now it’s my turn to be generous with people like Jelly Roll, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Judd’s performance at the CMA Awards raised eyebrows as she appeared unsteady on stage during her duet with Jelly Roll. Viewers, both in the audience and online, noted that she seemed “off” and expressed concern.
“Am I the only one concerned for @Wynonna,” one fan asked.
“It was seriously bizarre,” a second fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “I wonder what’s going on? She barely moved once she got a death grip on him.”
Wynonna Judd has faced significant challenges in recent years, including a bout of vertigo in 2022, which forced her to cancel a performance. Tragically, that same year, she lost her mother, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Naomi Judd, to suicide at the age of 76.
“I have my ups and my downs, and that’s life,” Wynonna told “Entertainment Tonight” about her recent experiences. “I’m just telling the fans, like the other night, I got emotional, I felt mom. And I got overcome, and I just said, ‘I need some water, and I need somebody to hold onto me for a second while I take a deep breath and cry.’ And I just do it because that’s the way life is.”
Wynonna Judd’s honest and heartfelt response to the concerns of her fans serves as a reminder that even the brightest stars face their own struggles and insecurities, and it’s through open communication that they can find the support they need.