Things got a little tense on stage at the 2025 American Music Awards when country stars Shaboozey and Megan Moroney teamed up to present an award, only for an unexpected moment to steal the spotlight.

The two singers were on hand at the Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas on Monday night, May 26, to present the award for Favorite Country Band/Duo/Group.

What was supposed to be a simple awards segment quickly turned heads after Megan Moroney made a remark that seemed to catch Shaboozey off guard.

Reading from the teleprompter, Shaboozey, whose full name is Collins Obinna Chibuez, began, “Country music has been an important part of AMA history. The very first year of this show, the award for favorite male country artist went to the great Charley Pride.”

Moroney then followed up with, “That same year, favorite female artist went to Lynn Anderson, and this award went to the Carter Family, who basically invented country music.”

That’s when Shaboozey appeared to be visibly stunned. Cameras caught him shooting a subtle but unmistakably shady side-eye at Moroney before pausing and laughing to himself. He quickly regained composure, continuing, “The nominees in this category are very impressive,” before moving the segment along.

The moment didn’t go unnoticed online, with fans pointing out the awkward body language and questioning the accuracy of Moroney’s statement.

The following morning, on Tuesday, May 27, Shaboozey took to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to seemingly comment on the viral moment.

“When you uncover the true history of country music, you find a story so powerful that it cannot be erased…” he wrote in his post, prompting several comments from fans.

“CLOCK IT SHABOOZEY,” one of his followers said.

“Clock it! Your face yesterday told a whole story,” another replied.

“TELL THEM!!” a third wrote.

“EXACTLY KING,” someone else exclaimed.

While it’s likely she was simply reading from the teleprompter, the line struck a chord, especially for an artist like Shaboozey, who’s known for bringing a fresh, genre-blending perspective to country music and often speaks on the importance of diverse contributions to the genre’s evolution.

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Carter Family, comprised of A.P. Carter, Sara Carter, and Maybelle Carter, are often referred to as “The First Family of Country Music.”

They were pioneers of the genre and among the first vocal groups to gain widespread recognition in the early days of commercial country music recording. However, to suggest they “basically invented” country music is a stretch, given the genre’s deep and varied roots, including significant influence from Black artists and other cultural traditions.

While Shaboozey was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the 2025 American Music Awards, the honor ultimately went to Gracie Abrams. She emerged as the winner in a competitive category that also included Benson Boone, Chappell Roan, Teddy Swims, and Tommy Richman, marking a major milestone in her rapidly rising career.

In addition to his nods for New Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, Shaboozey was also nominated for Social Song of the Year for his viral hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

However, the award ultimately went to Doechii for her track “Anxiety.” The competitive category also featured standout songs from Chappell Roan (“HOT TO GO!”), Djo (“End of Beginning”), Lola Young (“Messy”), and Tommy Richman (“Million Dollar Baby”), highlighting the tracks that dominated online conversations and social media trends throughout the year.