Hot Chelle Rae got their country on at the 2012 CMT Music Awards last night (June 6) by performing a mashup with Lady Antebellum. The HCR boys meshed their smash hit ‘Tonight, Tonight’ with Lady A’s ‘We Owned the Night,’ which is also a big hit in the country world. Even more thrilling was the fact that Hot Chelle Rae were a part of the show’s opening performance. That’s a big deal and the spotlight shone squarely on them. Talk about making an entrance. We’re proud to say they handled themselves well.

While it might seem like a bit of a headscratcher to have a synth pop troupe perform with a country trio at an awards event, the execution was spot on, as the songs matched up beautifully. Plus, this can’t be the strangest mashup ever. Country and pop often find a way to co-exist and meld – like the time rapper Ludacris partnered with singer Jason Aldean. Or when Justin Bieber teamed up with Rascal Flatts.

Hot Chelle Rae infused the opening performance with plenty of buoyancy and energy. It was a footloose and fancy free way to start an awards show, pop-country style. Maybe they picked up a few new fans.

Watch Hot Chelle Rae Perform With Lady Antebellum at the 2012 CMT Awards

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