Ahead of the awards ceremony on May 17th, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) announced Avery Anna as the 2026 New Female Artist of the Year winner.

Last year, Anna released her second album Let Go Letters, which was inspired by her fans sharing their own struggles in letters to her. She also collaborated with Sam Barber on “Indigo” and “Restless Mind” off his 2024 album Restless Mind. “Indigo” notably peaked at #40 on the Hot 100, as well as #8 on Hot Country Songs and continued to gain popularity throughout 2025. In March of this year, Anna continued her hot streak and released her acclaimed EP Forgive, Forget.