What happened to Wynonna Judd at the 2023 CMA Awards? Fans worry about country singer’s “bizarre” performance

During her performance at the opening of the 2023 CMA Awards on November 8, 2023, singer Wynonna Judd had her fans concerned about her well-being. The 59-year-old artist appeared unsteady as she held on to American rapper Jelly Roll for a duet of his track Need a Favor. Fans went online to comment on what they dubbed a "bizarre" performance by the Why Not Me singer, as per Page Six.

A few hours later, Judd posted a video on her Instagram and TikTok addressing the fans' comments and worries.

"I’m just gonna come clean with y’all. I was so freaking nervous," Judd said.

The artist went on to explain to her fans that “all is well” and she was already traveling back to Texas to get back to her Back to Wy Tour which commenced on October 26, 2023.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of s*icide. Discretion is advised

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Wynonna Judd appeared dizzy during her 2023 CMA Awards performance

Wynnona Judd is one of the most recognized and celebrated female country singers. She has accomplished a total of 19 No. 1 singles, including those with The Judds, since the start of her career in the 1980s.

The Judds were an American country music duo with Wynonna and her mother Naomi Judd. The duo ended their partnership at 1991's Farewell Concert. Wynonna then went on to perform as a solo artist. As per Page Six, her mother Naomi, took her own life on April 30, 2022.

Wynonna Judd was performing as the opening act for the CMA Awards with singer Jelly Roll on November 8, 2023. The two were singing Need a Favor during the event ABC Live Broadcast. In a video, that has since gone viral, Judd appeared unsteady as she held on to Roll during the act. Needless to say, this had her fans concerned about her.

However, it is worth noting that this isn't the first time that the singer seemed unwell or had to cancel a show. In January 2022, she had to cancel New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash as her vertigo kept her from performing in Nashville. According to Mayo Clinic, vertigo can cause sudden "episodes of mild to intense dizziness."

A year after that, in February 2023, she experienced some dizziness on stage in Dayton, Ohio, as per The New York Post. She quipped about it to the audience saying, "If I faint, just take a lot of pictures!"

Fans were left concerned for Wynonna Judd's health after the performance was posted online. Many netizens brought up her history with vertigo and the recent demise of her mother.

The Love Is Alive singer addressed the performance after the show on her social media.

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Wynonna Judd talks about the 2023 CMA Awards

As mentioned earlier, after the show, Wynonna seemed to be on her way to Texas in a private jet as she addressed fans' concerns over her unsteady performance during the CMA Awards. She took to Instagram and X to say that she was nervous about performing with Jelly Roll.

Wynonna Judd added that when she got on the stage and saw Jelly Roll, she wanted the performance to be "so good for him."

"I could cry right now, but I’m not going to because I’m such a fan of his and he asked me to sing and I said, ‘Absolutely!’ I got out there and I was so nervous that I just held on for dear life. And that’s the bottom line," Judd said.

According to People, Wynonna Judd has two children with her ex-husband Arch Kelley III, a son Elijah Judd, and a daughter Grace Pauline Kelley. Her Back To Wy Tour began on October 26, 2023, in Indianapolis, Indiana. They have a 15-show run which will end with a performance in Knoxville, Tennessee, on December 1, as per Today.