Kelly Clarkson and Vince Gill took the stage together to perform her easy-going new single ‘Don’t Rush’ at the 2012 CMA Awards. Clarkson has been slowly, but surely, drifting away from the pop world into the country one, and this song only speeds up the process for the former ‘American Idol’ winner. Her Gill-assisted performance was believable, beautiful and buoyant.

The song is Clarkson’s first true country single and she recruited Gill, a bonafide country star, to sing and play guitar. It was a good move. The song has a bit of a lazy, ’80s energy, and Clarkson and Gill worked their magic on stage. She faced him and sang to him most of the time with a big smile on her face. They looked and sounded like a duo that has been working together for decades. Their musical chemistry crackles.

Let us pause for a second and mention that Clarkson also looked absolutely stunning in a black and red, lace brocade dress that played up her newly trim figure. Clarkson had a hit on her hands with ‘Don’t You Wanna Stay,’ her duet with Jason Aldean, but after one live performance of this new song, we’re thinking she may very well eclipse that previous foray into country.

Clarkson can sing her butt off, but she showed taut restraint while delivering this song on stage. It was easy, breezy and excellent.