On Sunday, CBS will kick off the annual New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, with co-hosts Elle King and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Rachel Smith. Ahead of the big event, PopCulture.com had a chance to speak with King about the show and what fans can expect. She told us that they did “things a little bit differently” this year, but that fans can still expect a “massive concert” experience.
“We did a lot of pre-tapes last year and just to be safe, because live shows, especially on television, you literally never know what’s going to happen,” King said, reflecting on the previous NYE show. “We’ve got some live tapes and you can only fit so much into one big massive concert. I think there’s going to be, the main focus is going to be a lot more music and live songs.” She then quipped, “That’s cool for me. I mean, I lost my baby weight. I can dance in heels now so I’m ready.”
King also shared a little about her personal feelings around the holiday season, saying, “I work so much throughout the year, so holidays for me are a very, very, very, very big deal because it’s kind of the only time that I can sort of shut my phone off and be really present with my family so I go crazy. I go all out Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s.”
“New Year’s is so special,” she continued, “because it’s such a time for reflection of things that you’re ready to release from the year, things that you’re thankful for that you want to carry on to the next year. I’ve already started my next record and so I really look forward to digging back into that and seeing what this next year has in store for me.” She then joked that, as she gets older, she realizes the one downside is that “hangovers last a lot longer.”
Finally, she recalled a situation from hosting last year’s show that reflected both her growth and ability to still have fun responsibly. “Last year they were like, ‘Elle, you’re not allowed to drink.’ And I was like, ‘Okay I really care about this job.’ I genuinely, I love, I love doing this,” she shared. “But then one band that I got to play with, they’re like, ‘We are doing a shot, a quarter of a shot.’ I didn’t drink until it was champagne toast with Kelsey Ballerini. She then quipped that she told the singer, “Don’t stand so close to me in that pretty outfit, girl.”
The five-hour New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash celebration will feature live, high-energy performances from artists such as Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lainey Wilson, and many, many more. Fans can also expect a performance from King, as well. It all starts at 7:30 PM, ET/PT on Sunday, Dec. 31, only on CBS and Paramount+.