Jimmie Allen Makes History at ACM Awards 2021 Before Brad Paisley Crashes His Performance

Jimmie Allen performs alongside Brad Paisley during the 2021 ACM Awards at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday night (April 18).

The 31-year-old singer’s performance of “Freedom Was A Highway” was crashed by Brad, following Jimmie‘s historic win at the show.

Jimmie became the first Black man to ever win the New Male Artist of the Year.

“I remember watching the ACMs growing up,” he recalled in an interview with People. “I would start on the couch and when the winner won the category, I had to walk up and stand by the TV and give my acceptance speech. This is something I’ve wanted for awhile and it’s pretty cool that it’s here.”

Jimmie added that he never celebrates “anything like this. I’ve been trying to do this music thing for so long, I kind of got addicted to struggle, the grind, so typically once I reach some sort of moment, I’m like, ‘Aiight, cool, what’s next?’ I’m ready to get back to hitting the ground running.”

“This time I’m actually going to celebrate! I had family fly in, some friends fly in, and I’m just going to hang out, have a barbecue.”