Calgary native Ell lands two ACM noms
Lindsay Ell has earned two nominations for Academy of Country Music Awards, topping off a stellar year for the Calgary expat.
The country singer moved to Nashville a decade ago and began her career as a 17-year-old prodigy of Randy Bachman back in 2006. But in Music City, she is still considered a newbie. Among her nominations this year is for new female artist of the year, which pits her against Grande Prairie native Tenille Townes and Cayle Hammack, Gabby Barrett and Ingrid Andress.
What Happens in a Small Town, Ell’s duet with Brantley Gilbert, has also been nominated for music event of the year, competing with heavy-hitters such as 10,000 Hours by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber; Dive Bar by Garth Brooks and Blake Shelton; Fooled Around and Fell in Love by Miranda Lambert, which also features Townes, Maren Morris, Ashley Mcbryde, Caylee Hammack, Elle King; and Little Town Road by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Other local nominees include CKRY-FM’S Robyn & Roger in the Morning for large-market on-air personality of the year and CKRY-FM for large-market radio station of the year. The radio awards have already been announced, with the Calgary station losing in both categories to WUBE-FM from Cincinnati.
Ell’s nominations secure her place as one of Nashville’s hottest new stars. What Happens in a Small Town was her first No. 1 song in Canada and the U.S. The 30-yearold also recently released I Don’t Love You, the debut single from her upcoming sophomore album.
“It’s like, the most vulnerable I’ve ever gotten on an album,” she told ET Canada last month. “I’m talking about things in my childhood that I’ve never talked about before. I’m super proud of this new music.”
In September, Ell was nominated for four Canadian Country Music Awards, which were held in her hometown. She was up for female performer of the year, but lost to Townes. Her song Criminal was nominated for both single and video of the year, but lost to Townes’s Somebody’s Daughter in both categories. Ell picked up the win for interactive artist or group of the year.
In August, Ell was among the country artists featured as part of an all-female lineup as part of Country Thunder in Calgary. The ACM awards show will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS on Sunday, April 5.