Many fans were shocked when they heard what they thought were loud boos as country music star Luke Combs took to stage last night to accept the award for Male Vocalist of the Year at the 2019 CMAs.
After his acceptance speech, fans took to Twitter to debate whether fans actually booed Combs.
However, it appears that the entire incident was a misunderstanding and that the crowd was not booing but shouting “Luuuuuuuuke!” in support of the Beautiful Crazy singer, according to The Tennessean.
Luke Combs, who earlier walked the red carpet with fiancée Nicole Hocking, was announced the winner of the Male Vocalist of the Year award over other nominees Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, and Thomas Rhett.
Some people who attended the awards show last night said the noise from the crowd as the 29-year-old singer took the stage sounded more like “boos” than like appreciative “woos.”
“People around me were trying to figure out if it was boo or woo,” an attendee told In Touch Weekly. “But it was coming from the top nosebleeds area. Not below where the celebrities are and the VIPs.”
@LukeCombs acceptance speech for his second #CMAawards win of the night for Male Vocalist of the Year! This highlight brought to you by our sponsor @CrownRoyal pic.twitter.com/jQnebH7Yuz
— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 14, 2019
Many fans who took to Twitter to comment, shortly after Luke accepted his award, also thought they heard boos, which they believed came from the supporters of other nominees.
i can’t believe ppl booed @lukecombs at the CMA Awards. Y’all are crazy, and don’t realize what words and actions do to ppl. Congratulations Luke! You deserve that award.❤️
— Chevel Shepherd (@officialchevel) November 14, 2019
The people who just booed Luke Combs at CMA actually just broke my heart.
— marlee davis (@marleedalee) November 14, 2019
Yikes did I just hear booing at #CMAawards2019 when #LukeCombs got his award?
— Fadia Mayté Patterson (@FadiaTVNews) November 14, 2019
However, The Tennessean took to their official Twitter handle to tweet that the crowd was not booing but yelling, “Luuuuuke!”
Those are not boos at the #CMAawards. That’s @lukecombs’ fans screaming out his name as he takes home Male Vocalist of the Year. LUUUUUUKKKEEEE
— Tennessean (@Tennessean) November 14, 2019
Many distraught fans expressed relief after The Tennessean tweeted that the crowd was saying “Luuuuuuuke!” in support of the singer. Others said they also thought they heard the crowd saying, “Luuuuuuuke!”
Confirmed, it was LUKE! ?? pic.twitter.com/7SvYPEFjxN
— Brianne Bakkum (@brianneee_21) November 14, 2019
However, some disagreed, saying that Combs heard them booing and looked very hurt. One Twitter user said Combs initially looked excited, but his spirit fell when he heard the crowd booing.
I don't buy it he was flabbergasted when he came up and excited about his award and then when that started his expression totally changed
— ~Neilla~Kit~kat~ (@NeillaKirkham) November 14, 2019
Yeah I don't buy that at all, for a second I thought they were saying LUKE but as soon as I saw the look on his face I realized they were totally booing WTF
— Brittany? (@ALittleLiarPLL5) November 14, 2019
Another fan on twitter said he played back the video three times and that he heard the crowd booing. He also noted that Luke appeared affected by the “booing,” and that he looked discomfited as he accepted the award.
those were straight up boos, we have played it back three times, and his face told the story while they were doing that.
— Dana Johnson (@danaj426) November 14, 2019
Luke Combs’ CMA awards come after he released his second album What You See Is What You Get on November 8.