Chris Stapleton with Dua Lipa, “Think I’m in Love With You”

The British pop star Dua Lipa made a surprise appearance at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, held on May 16, 2024 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. She joined country music icon Chris Stapleton to perform his song “Think I’m in Love With You,” a track on his 5th album Higher (2023). Produced by Dave Cobb along with Chris Stapleton and his wife Morgane Stapleton, Higher is arguably his finest album yet and a masterpiece of Americana music. It deservedly won the ACM award for album of the year. Stapleton also won Artist-Songwriter of the Year and Male Performer of the Year. When ACM Awards host Reba McEntire introduced the performance, her mic inexplicably cut out, so viewers could not hear her introduce Dua Lipa as guest performer. Still, country music fans went crazy: a bona fide pop star performing a new arrangement of the most pop-rock song on Chris Stapleton’s new album.