Shania Twain Teases Major Surprises For Her ACM Awards Hosting Debut
on May 13, 2026
Shania Twain Is Preparing To Host The ACM Awards For The Very First Time
The 2026 ACM Awards are getting closer and closer, with the ceremony officially kicking off on Sunday, May 17, live from Las Vegas.
And this year, viewers can expect to see plenty of “firsts” throughout the night, including first-time nominees, first-time winners, and even a first-time host!
Country icon Shania Twain will be stepping in as host for this year’s ceremony. She is taking over the role from Reba McEntire, who hosted the show for the previous two years (and a total of 18 times, dating back to 1986).
So yes, Shania has some big shoes to fill, but there is no doubt she is ready for the challenge, considering this isn’t her first time hosting an awards show.
The “You’re Still The One” singer proved she could lead a major broadcast back in 2024 when she hosted the People’s Choice Country Awards, so now she has a solid idea of what she wants to bring to the ACMs to make the night memorable.
“My intentions are to be there to celebrate all of the fabulous artists out there and to welcome the fans,” Shania told the Academy of Country Music. “That is hosting!”
As for her hosting style, Shania admitted that she isn’t the kind of person who likes relying on a bunch of planned skits and written jokes. Instead, she feels more comfortable keeping things natural and living in the moment.
“I’m going to be there with my own personality… I don’t plan on acting my way through it in any way,” she said.
“I’m not really great at being over scripted because I’m just too spontaneous,” Shania continued. “So I think I will just have a lot of fun making it up as I go along, going with the flow. That’s the kind of person I am.”
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Shania Teases Major Surprises
If you’ve watched the ACM Awards in the past, you know it’s common for the show to include surprise moments, like unannounced performances and special guest appearances.
This year will be no different, Shania confirmed to Billboard, saying that there are definitely some things that viewers won’t expect.
However, she’s keeping details under wraps so nothing gets revealed ahead of time.
“There’s a couple of moments that I know that production is looking forward to hopefully surprising the audience with,” she tells the outlet.
“I’m not going to give anything away in that regard, but yeah, I think the fans will be happy.”
Could one of those surprises be a performance from Shania herself? It’s definitely a possibility, especially since the country superstar just released her brand new single “Dirty Rosie.”
Shania dropped the song on Wednesday (May 13), just days before the awards show. The timing has fans wondering if the ACM stage could be where she debuts the song live for the very first time…
Looks like we will have to wait and see!
Make sure to tune in to watch the ACM Awards live on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT.
