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"Bang, Bang": Little Big Town and Ariana Grande Pack Heat at the CMA Awards

Vocal Group of the Year Nominees Collaborate With 21-Year-Old Pop Sensation

In a night filled with dramatic performances and collaborations, perhaps the most eye-catching moment of Wednesday night's (Nov. 5) CMA Awards show came when Little Big Town fired off a noteworthy performance with pop powerhouse Ariana Grande.

In what began as a tight-lipped performance leading up to the show, only garnering more suspense and whisperings of what the collaboration would entail, the quartet began with their party anthem "Day Drinking" from their latest arsenal of music Painkiller and effortlessly morphed into a heavyweight mash-up of Grande's quick-lyric pop smash "Bang, Bang," the platinum-selling song Grande recorded with Jessi J and Nicki Minaj.

"It's gonna be fun. It's gonna be electrifying," Little Big Town told CMT on the red carpet prior to the show.

And that it was as Little Big Town donned glowing ensembles of color-coordinated outfits that shone brightly with strips of red and white as they stood in front of a thunderous drum line.

Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet both sported matching ensembles of black pants and jackets as they stood next to their fierce female counterparts, Karen Fairchild and Kimberley Schlapman.

Fairchild played the part of party vixen in her fitted black number with a revealing front cut-out while Schlapman's reflective gown was set off by her distinctive blond locks. Standing and sashaying next to Grande's svelte guise of a platinum two-piece, the performance stood out as a sensory overload in the lustrous lights.

With a crowd-pleasing performance, Little Big Town helped fuse any gap dividing the country and pop musical boundaries. Carrying out a noteworthy performance, their glowing partnership proved more than just a shot in the dark as they later claimed their third consecutive CMA trophy for vocal group of the year.

Check out all the coverage from the 48th annual CMA Awards.

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