Avril Lavigne and Nate Smith Deliver Live Debut of New Collab ‘Bulletproof’ at 2024 ACM Awards

The new male artist of the year winner and the “Girlfriend” singer performed their collab “Bulletproof” for the first time during the May 16 ceremony

Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne perform at the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas on May 16, 2024. Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty

• Nate Smith teamed up with pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne on his latest track
• The two released the song, “Bulletproof,” ahead of the ACM Awards on Thursday
• Smith and Lavigne each kick off tours later this year

Country star Nate Smith kicked off the 2024 ACM Awards on May 16 with an early win for new male artist of the year and kept the celebration rolling with the debut performance of his new song with pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne, “Bulletproof.”

The performance opened with Smith singing solo on stage, which was transformed to look like a bar filled with neon lights. Lavigne joined him to sing the second verse on her own, before they duetted through the rest of the song, smiling as they came together for an embrace at the end.

After the song originally appeared on Smith’s Through the Smoke EP, the two musicians teamed up to release a new duet version before the awards show.

Lavigne, 39, wore a ripped black sweatshirt with ripped black flare jeans, while Smith, 38, wore all black with a leather jacket to the ceremony, held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

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The duo’s special performance comes after Smith snagged his first-ever ACM Awards win before the evening ceremony, hosted by Reba McEntire, even began. His big news was announced along with new female artist of the year and new duo or group of the year winners Megan Moroney and Tigirlily Gold.

The “World on Fire” singer teased his collaboration with Lavigne on Instagram just days before the pair hit the stage together. In a clip of an iMessage exchange, Smith texted the Love Sux singer, “AVRIL!!! Dude, I’m so pumped to be performing together on the ACMs!!!! ​​‎️‍🔥‎️‍🔥‎️‍🔥.”

Check out PEOPLE’s full ACM Awards coverage here.

Avril Lavigne at the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas on May 16, 2024. Jason Kempin/Getty

“I have a crazy idea…,” he continued, which Lavigne replied to with wide-eye emojis. 

“Let’s drop the song that day?!” Smith posed. The diamond-certified star responded, “Hell yeah!” before her collaborator sent a teaser video of their song.

“​​Feels damn good to release this new badass version and couldn’t think of a better person to reimagine this song than an icon like Avril!!” Smith captioned an Instagram post the day of the song’s release. ‘“Bulletproof’ ft. @avrillavigne (aka. Honey Boo Boo Bear, Pookie, etc) is out!!!! Get ya some 🦅💥.”

Nate Smith at the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas on May 16, 2024. Jason Kempin/Getty

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The new track arrives one week before Lavigne is set to kick off her highly anticipated Greatest Hits tour — which is also accompanied by a Greatest Hits album she’s releasing next month. 

“Can’t do a greatest hits tour without a greatest hits album!!!” the Grammy-nominated “Girlfriend” singer announced on Instagram on Friday, May 10, alongside her album cover art. “Dropping June 21st 🩷💚🧡🖤.”

ACM Awards 2024: See the Complete List of Winners!

Smith, meanwhile, is heading out on his own Through the Smoke tour — named after his latest EP, which dropped on April 5 — this fall with special guests John Morgan and Karley Scott Collins. The 14-date tour begins on Sept. 19 in Portland, Ore., and concludes on Nov. 23 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Other artists hitting the stage at the ACM Awards are Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan, Parker McCollum, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, and McEntire. Jason Aldean will also perform a special tribute to late country star Toby Keith — who died in February at age 62 following a stomach cancer diagnosis.

The 59th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards are streaming live on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Texas.