Miranda Lambert The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards - Show
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Miranda Lambert marked her first-ever performance on the Grammy Awards Sunday (February 13), after a glowing introduction from fiancé Blake Shelton. "When I say that I love this next performer, what I mean is I love this next performer," Blake told the crowd amidst screams. "She's not only one of the most talented people in the world, she happens to be my fiancée."

While she didn't emerge from an egg like previous performer Lady Gaga, Miranda, known for her high-energy shows, gave a minimal, yet extremely powerful performance of her No. 1 song, 'The House That Built Me,' which was her vision from the beginning.

"I called (co-executive producer) Ken Ehrlich and said, 'I'd like to do something simple that shows what the song means to me,'" Miranda tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper. "The reason I am here and the reason artists are who they are is because of the way we're brought up, our foundations."

"This song tonight is for all the great artists who have come before us who have set the stage for us to be here where we are right now," said Miranda, before launching into the song. With video screens behind her displaying photos of herself at a young age, as well as childhood photos of prominent musicians -- including John Lennon, Elton John and Elvis Presley -- the country songstress effortlessly sang the emotional song about going back to revisit the home where she grew up, helping to form her as a person. Dressed in a short, tight bronze dress, with cascading blond waves and sporting her diamond engagement ring and a big smile, she delivered the tearjerking tune.

As she was rehearsing her song on Friday, Miranda developed a small case of nerves as she looked out at the rows of seats filled with photographs of famous folks. "It turns out Mick Jagger is going to be sitting directly in front of me when I'm on the show," Miranda said. "The room is nerve-racking enough because of the amazing talent, not to mention the millions of people watching."

The Texas native loves that her hit 'The House That Built Me' speaks to how she was raised. "When I was about five, my parents had their own business, and when the phone stops ringing and you're self employed ... the phone stops ringing [period]. And so we had to move in with my uncle for a while, and then we got to rent this huge farmhouse that was dilapidated ... It was terrible," recalls Miranda. "But it had so much potential. My mom could see that, and I'm just like that now. We didn't live in a nice neighborhood with a pool or have a lot, but we had everything we needed, and I don't feel like I ever missed out on one thing. It means a lot to my parents, because that that made me who I was: to live off the land and not have that much money and to really learn valuable lessons at such a young age. 'The House That Built Me' describes it perfectly. The fact that I cut that song lets my parents know that they did a good job."

Miranda fittingly won the Grammy for Female Country Vocal Performance for 'The House That Built Me.' She was also nominated for Country Collaboration With Vocals for 'Bad Angel' with Dierks Bentley and Jamey Johnson and Country Album for 'Revolution.' 'The House That Built Me,' written by Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin, was also nominated for two more awards for Country Song and the all-genre Song of the Year.

Also performing was Martina McBride, who joined the all-star tribute to Aretha Franklin during the Grammy telecast, which also featured Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Florence Welch. The segment showcased individual and collective performances of the legendary performer's classic hits. Gwyneth Paltrow later performed with rapper Cee Lo Green on his hit, 'Forget You.'

Following the Grammys, Miranda will launch her Revolution Continues tour, featuring Justin Moore and Chris Young, on February 24.

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