Reba McEntire delivered an empowered performance of her latest single, “I Can’t,” as she readies country music listeners for her next album. The beloved country legend performed as she returned to host the 59th ACM Awards on Thursday evening (May 16), marking her 17th time hosting the show, more than any other artist.

“I love the lyrics of this song. I love the melody,” McEntire said via her record label of “I Can’t,” a track written by Victoria Banks, Tania Hancheroff and Tia Sillers. “I really am drawn to minor chords in a song, and that’s what this one has. A lot of people tell me they can relate to it. …Recording this song was a lot of fun ‘cause I got to work with Dave Cobb and his musicians. We stripped it down, and then we recorded it and then started adding more things to the track. It was a lot of fun. We had a great time in the studio.”

McEntire said during an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show that her new album is “coming soon.” It wasn’t immediately clear as of publication time, however, when the album would arrive.

In addition to her forthcoming project, the Voice coach is also getting ready for her next sitcom, Happy's Place, which also stars her real-life boyfriend Rex Linn, former Reba co-star Melissa Peterman and others. McEntire recently said in a statement that “it’s another creative outlet – that’s why I love acting. When I did ‘Annie Get Your Gun,’ I got to sing, I got to act, but I also got to be another character. I wasn’t Reba McEntire, so that’s what I really enjoy doing – being outside my character.”

Other ACM Awards performers include Post Malone, Parker McCollum, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan; Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne; Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Jason Aldean (delivering a tribute to late country star Toby Keith), Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson. On Tuesday night (May 14), Smith, Megan Moroney and sister duo Tigirlily Gold were revealed as early winners. Moroney, the New Female Artist of the Year, performed during the ACM Awards Red Carpet Show. Smith, the New Male Artist of the Year, debuted a duet version of his heartache anthem with Lavigne, and sister duo Tigirlily Gold, who won in the New Duo or Group of the Year category, performed on the ACM Awards stage for the first time. See the full list of 59th ACM Award nominees here.

Corey Calhoun