Carrie Underwood Wears Her Heart on Her Sleeve for Fiery ‘Hate My Heart’ at the CMTs [Watch]

Carrie Underwood brought out all the bells and whistles for a dazzling performance of "Hate My Heart" at the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday (April 2.) The song — which is the latest single of her Denim & Rhinestones album — served up grungy, punchy guitarwork and swagger to spare, as a crowd of fans roared along to Underwood's performance.

Underwood rocked a glitzy shorts-and-jacket combo as she took the stage, both black and decorated with pink, bedazzled hearts. Flashing lights glowed onstage throughout Underwood's set, and at the conclusion of the song, a fireworks display popped off over the stage.

The outdoor nighttime set took place in downtown Austin, Texas, steps from the awards show venue and with the dome of the Texas Capitol building gleaming in the backdrop.

"Hate My Heart" was a finalist for the CMT Music Awards' most-coveted award of the night, Video of the Year. That category started out with 16 nominees, but fan votes whittled it down to a final six in the weeks leading up to the show, and shortly before the ceremony took place, the top three contenders were announced. Underwood made the top three along with Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown's "Thank God" —which won — and Hardy and Lainey Wilson's "Wait in the Truck."

Underwood was also nominated in the Female Video of the Year category, thanks to the music video for "Ghost Story," which was the leading single off of Denim & Rhinestones. With 25 CMT Music Awards trophies in total, she is the winningest artist in the awards show's history.

The 2023 CMT Music Awards airs live from Austin's Moody Theater on CBS, as well as streaming live and on-demand on Paramount+. Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini are this year's co-hosts.