Carrie Underwood and Cody Johnson perform ‘I’m Gonna Love You’ at the 2024 CMA Awards

Carrie Underwood and Cody Johnson gave the 2024 CMA Awards a big surprise.

At the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday, November 20 American Idol alum and Leather hitmaker performed their duet “I’m Gonna Love You.”

“So good it almost hurts / Steady and true as a Bible verse / My heart just skips thinking about you / Go ahead and bet it all baby, we can’t lose,” Underwood, 41, and Johnson, 37 , sang in the chorus.

The ballad was released as the lead single to Johnson’s deluxe version of his album Leather in November along with a stunning music video featuring landscapes and horses surrounding them as they sing. The backdrop for their performance had similar backdrops.

See all of PEOPLE’s full CMA Awards coverage here.

Johnson told PEOPLE in November that he always thought Underwood would be the one for the track. “It’s like Carrie Underwood or nobody,” he said. “I just heard her voice.”

He also talked about the incredible process of recording the song. “I’m watching her mouth and I can see where every breath is going to be,” Johnson recalled.

He added: “We’re just staring at each other and kind of going off each other. It was weird because it was the first time Carrie and I had ever sung together and it was just perfect family harmony. And I think that speaks to the caliber of vocalist she truly is.”

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Johnson has been nominated for five CMA Awards at the 2024 ceremony and took home album of the year Leather.

His songs “Dirt Cheap” and “The Painter” are both nominated for Song of the Year and the latter for Music Video of the Year. He was also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year for the third consecutive year. He previously won the CMA Award for Single of the Year in 2022 for “Til You Can’t”.

Underwood, meanwhile, has become a fixture at country music’s biggest night. She hosted 12 consecutive years of the awards show and has taken home seven CMAs over the years.

The 58th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 20 from 8pm to 11pm on ABC. The show will be streamed the following day on Hulu.