Last week at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, Amazon Music proudly announced Nate Smith as their newest Breakthrough artist. This prestigious honour was presented to Nate by country star BRELAND, a fellow Breakthrough alum, during the live broadcast.
Following the announcement, Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne delivered a dynamic performance of Nate’s recent single ‘Bulletproof, captivating the audience. As part of the Breakthrough program, Amazon Music will support Nate with a global marketing campaign, increased visibility across playlists and stations, an Amazon Music Original track, and more.
“When it came time to select our next Breakthrough country artist, Nate Smith was the obvious choice. A generational voice and a true Nashville success story, it’s been a joy watching his rise and seeing country music fans discover his music over the last few years,” said Jenni Tay, artist relations for Amazon Music. “We’ve long championed his music, and with Nate joining the Breakthrough family, we’re excited to pull every lever and support Nate as he rises even further in country music and beyond.”
Nate Smith expressed his gratitude, stating, “Man, what a week it’s been and now this. I’m honestly so grateful to Amazon and the support they have always given me. Love getting to kick off this campaign with a performance with my friend Avril Lavigne. If this is just the start, I’m excited to see where it goes!”
The 59th ACM Awards, hosted by 16-time ACM Award winner Reba McEntire, were streamed live to a global audience in over 240 countries and territories on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
In addition to Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne's performance, the ACM Awards featured memorable duets from Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, as well as Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani. The show also included performances by Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Parker McCollum, Tigirlily Gold, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, and Lainey Wilson, alongside a show-stopping performance of brand new music from this year’s host, Reba McEntire.
Amazon Music's Breakthrough program is dedicated to championing artists at pivotal moments in their careers. The program includes increased visibility across stations and playlists, such as Amazon Country Music’s global playlist Country Heat, livestream performances, bespoke marketing activations, social promotion, merch offerings, Amazon Original songs, editorial content, and more. This long-term program is designed to support artists during the most crucial portion of their career.
For more information and updates on Nate Smith's journey as a Breakthrough artist, stay tuned to Amazon Music.
