Kelsea Ballerini Performs Reimagined Version of 'Love Me Like You Mean It' at 2024 CMT Awards

The CMT Awards audience loves Kelsea Ballerini — and they mean it!

The country star, 30, pulled double duty at the annual awards show on Sunday, April 7, as she hosted and performed a new, reimagined version of her debut single, “Love Me Like You Mean It.”

Sporting a sparkly gold bodysuit with black tights and heels, Ballerini sang the track's updated version on an outdoor stage, surrounded by fans holding golden lights in the air.

"Y'all, I really can't believe it's been 10 years. That's crazy," she told the audience midway through the performance.

Ballerini released a new, slower and more emotional version of her hit 2014 single on April 5, explaining in an Instagram post that her goal was to celebrate the beginning of her career and how far she’s come in the decade since.

Check out all of PEOPLE's full CMT Awards coverage here.

“ten years ago, i was twenty, naive, starry eyed and absolutely relentless on putting my music out into the world. i’m proud to say, nothing has changed…except a DECADE of this wildly beautiful journey we’ve gotten to share full of tours and sing alongs, wins and losses, and growing up together,” she wrote in a caption.

“soooo, before we move into new music (yes, it’s coming i swear) i wanted to c -

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elebrate the beginning with you.”

The star called “Love Me Like You Mean It” the “song that started it all” for her, and revealed on Friday that she’d be singing it at this year's CMT Awards.

The track was nominated for breakthrough video of the year at the 2015 CMT Awards, but ultimately lost to Sam Hunt’s “Leave the Night On.”

Other performers at this year’s show include Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson, Sam Hunt, Bailey Zimmerman, Jordan Davis, Trisha Yearwood, NEEDTOBREATHE, Cody Johnson, Megan Moroney, Old Dominion, Parker McCollum and Brittney Spencer.

Ballerini previously opened up to PEOPLE about hosting the CMT Awards solo for the first time this year, as she’s spent the last three years co-hosting with Kane Brown.

“It’s definitely new grounds for me,” she said. “But it’s my fourth year hosting, so I feel like I’ve learned a lot. And the good thing about CMTs is there’s such a light energy, so there’s not a pressure that I feel to be perfect. I just want to be fun, honor the night and help people have a good time.”

The 2024 CMT Music Awards are airing live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday, April 7 on CBS and Paramount+.

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