Genre-spanning singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham took the stage during the pre-show Premiere Ceremony ahead of the 2023 Grammy Awards, which took place on Sunday (Feb. 5) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. She performed "Life According to Raechel," which comes off the track list of her 2022 album, Revealer.

Wearing a shimmering, floor-length blue gown and backed by a gentle string section, Cunningham strummed an acoustic guitar as she stood on stage. Cunningham's tremulous lilt lent extra emotional power to her ballad, which is a tender meditation on the loss of her grandmother.

"Life According to Raechel" earned a nomination for Best American Roots Performance at the 2023 Grammys. It's one of two trophies that Cunningham is up for on Sunday night: Revealer is also a contender for Best Folk Album. Over the course of her career to date, Cunningham is a four-time Grammy nominee.

The 2023 Grammy Awards airs live on Sunday night beginning at 8 PM ET. The show takes place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. Fans can watch live on CBS, and the Grammys are also streaming live and on demand on Paramount+. The Premiere Ceremony streamed live on the Recording Academy's YouTube channel, as well as on live.GRAMMY.com.

Country and Americana fans have plenty of reason to tune in, as performances are expected from Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile. Combs is performing his new single, "Going Going Gone," while Stapleton is teaming up with soul legends Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson for a Motown medley.

Carlile is one of the most-nominated artists of the night with seven mentions in total. She's already picked up a couple of wins: Carlile's "Broken Horses" won Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance during the Premiere Ceremony.

Top 10 Billy Strings Songs

Billy Strings is one of those once-in-a-generation artists who revitalize their genre with the scope of their talent and original perspective.

While to some, it may have seemed like Strings appeared on the bluegrass scene suddenly, his connection to the genre was far from new. Strings began playing guitar at five years old, thanks to the influence of his father, Terry Barber. Strings learned the bluegrass songs that were the soundtrack to his rowdy family's life, along with metal and classic rock favorites.

Born and raised in a small town in Michigan, Strings' childhood was marked by difficult losses and hard times as his parents struggled with meth addiction. As a young adult, Strings dealt with his own addiction issues but was later able to find sobriety. 

He eventually left home and found his way to Nashville, where he gained his first exposure playing with mandolin player Don Julin. After four years with Julin, Strings went solo. Critical acclaim quickly followed.

From 2016 to 2022, Strings released one EP and four albums. Two of his records, 2019's Home and 2021's Renewal, have been nominated for Grammy Awards, with Home earning the top prize. He has also won an Americana Music Award and numerous International Bluegrass Music Awards, among other significant accolades. 

At the young age of 30, Strings has created a remarkable legacy, and we can't wait to see where he goes from here.

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