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No Saskatchewan musicians were able to pick up a Canadian Country Music Award at Saturday’s ceremonies in Saskatoon, but two home-province singers are being honoured in another way.
Country Music Week has come to a close, and two female artists have found out they’re heading to the world’s biggest stage for western music.
For Jess Moskaluke, the announcement came as a surprise to her while she was presenting an award on stage during the CCMAs. Originally from Langenburg, Moskaluke will perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in March of 2027.
Jess Moskaluke, after the awards show, taking home an impressive bag of popcorn. (Alex Kozroski/CBC)
“I don’t know if I’ve even fully registered how it feels yet, to be honest, I had no idea,” said Moskaluke. “If it were ever going to happen anywhere I think to happen at the CCMAs in front of not only my actual family but my country music family is so cool.”
Moskaluke said the organizers threw her in at the last minute to present the award with no lines, and her team and family kept it under wraps the whole time.
“Especially as a small town girl growing up and still living in Saskatchewan, I’m always forever so proudly waving that flag. So to once again be on a crazy big dream of a stage, I definitely will be very proud and probably crying the whole time again.”
Two days before the CCMA Awards ceremony, Kalsey Kulyk was also surprised that she would be headed to the Grand Ole Opry, thanks to an invite from country superstar Lainey Wilson. She was performing at the CCMAs Legends Showcase when the video invitation came through.
Kalsey Kulyk will be performing at the Grand Ole Opry on Nov. 21. (Alex Kozroski/CBC)
“I am still in shock about it, I’ve cried probably like 30 times since I found out,” said Kulyk.
“I am just very excited, very grateful. Obviously I wrote with Laney a bunch down in Nashville before she signed her record deal. I sent her a thank you message this morning … And she messaged me back right away. It’s really incredible to get that kind of respect from artists that I really admire and appreciate.”
The Grand Ole Opry is also renowned as the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history. Kulyk will be performing there on Nov. 21. Jess Moskaluke has a few more months to prepare, and she says she plans to write more songs.
“I don’t know what I want to bring, but I know I want to leave everything on stage and I want to take in as much of that moment as I can,” said Moskaluke.
“I don’t really set a lot of goals because I’m just so thankful for everything that I’ve received in my career so far. But this was a goal, I will say that. So I really can’t believe it.”
“My message to my [younger] self, I guess I would just encourage her that she’s on the right path,” said Moskaluke.
“I would do something or make a choice or drop out of university and be like, what am I doing? Is this the right thing … It would just have been really reassuring to know that some of those moments that were scary were all very worth it.”