Carly Pearce delivered high-powered ’90s fun with her version of Shania Twain‘s first-ever No. 1 hit, “Any Man of Mine,” during her set on New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash. Performing from downtown Music City, Pearce delivered Twain’s classic as part of a medley alongside one of her own hits, “Hide the Wine.”
The Big Bash was an elaborate, citywide party with a massive lineup of performers contributing their sets from venues across downtown Nashville. The show’s main locale was the city’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall, where Nashville’s annual free New Year’s Eve concert took place.
This year, the show was extra special: It broadcasted on CBS as a five-hour televised special leading up to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
An action-packed spread of collaborations, covers and hits, the party delivered a number of surprises and fan-favorite songs. Pearce was one of many stars who opted to perform a classic country hit: Chris Janson led a rendition of Hank Williams, Jr.’s “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” with Riley Green and Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan offered his version of Kenny Chesney‘s “When the Sun Goes Down” and Dierks Bentley tapped Ingrid Andress for a duet interpretation of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
For her performance, Pearce wore a shimmering, snake skin-esque dress and high heeled boots, matching her visual aesthetic to her performance’s throwback country vibes. The singer’s backing band kept things traditional, too: The musicians with her onstage wore black cowboy hats, and the songs’ arrangements putting special spotlight on the fiddle player.
“Where my ladies at tonight?” Pearce asked the crowd between songs, by way of introducing her rendition of Twain’s hit song. “Y’all, Shania Twain, I grew up on her, and she taught me that all you men out there need to know what a woman wants.”
It’s no surprise to see Pearce leaning into female-led, old-school country for her performances. Ever since she started releasing songs off her latest album, 29, the singer has been delving deep into her traditional roots. For example, 29‘s tracklist includes a collaboration with Patty Loveless called “Dear Miss Loretta,” a tribute to Loretta Lynn. Her newest single off 29, “Diamondback,” is a modern-day throwback to an older sound, and her duet with Ashley McBryde, “Never Wanted to Be That Girl,” was inspired by Reba McEntire and Linda Davis‘ 1993 classic “Does He Love You.”
A country music legend in the making herself, Pearce recently became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. She was invited to join the Opry by none other than Dolly Parton, who surprised the younger star in June 2021 with an invitation that Pearce described as “even better than you dare to dream.”
New Year’s Eve Live! Nashville’s Big Bash aired on CBS. In case you missed it, it’s available to stream on Paramount+.
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