\n<\/p>\n
It’s been almost 15 years since viewers first met\u00a0Will Schuester and McKinley High School’s glee club, New Directions, and\u00a0<\/span>Amber Riley<\/a>\u00a0has nothing but gratitude for the anniversary.<\/span><\/p>\n When asked about the show’s momentous anniversary by ET’s Cassie DiLaura\u00a0at the\u00a0<\/span>2024 CMT Music Awards<\/a>\u00a0in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, Riley joked that it “makes me think that I’m old!”<\/span><\/p>\n The 38-year-old added that, although many people assumed she was a teenager during the show’s airing, she was actually in her 20s.<\/span><\/p>\n Still, Riley had nothing but good things to say reflecting on the series that kick-started her career. “It’s incredible, like, that’s my family. We did something that was groundbreaking,” she told ET. “I’m always grateful to\u00a0<\/span>Glee\u00a0<\/span><\/em>for being the catapult for my whole entire career, and for giving me such a vast knowledge and vocabulary of music.”<\/span><\/p>\n “This is why I love so many different genres now, because of\u00a0<\/span>Glee<\/span><\/em>,” the\u00a0<\/span>Single Black Female<\/span><\/em>\u00a0star added. “I’m so grateful for it.”<\/span><\/p>\n Riley was on cloud nine attending the annual awards show, for which she was a presenter\u00a0and a first-time nominee. The singer earned a Performance of the Year\u00a0nomination for her performance of Aretha Franklin’s Otis Redding-penned anthem “Respect” during last year’s <\/span>CMT Smashing Glass<\/span><\/em> special.<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m happy to be here, that’s all I could say,” Riley told ET about her nomination. “I wasn’t expecting it whatsoever! I was really shocked when they told me that I was nominated. I was like, ‘For what?!’ Like, in my mind, I’m like, ‘What did I do?’ But it was such an amazing opportunity. I’m so grateful to CMT for asking [me] to do it.”<\/span><\/p>\n Riley didn’t win the trophy in her category on Sunday night; the honor went to\u00a0<\/span>Jelly Roll<\/a>, who\u00a0<\/span>pulled off a clean sweep at the star-studded awards show<\/a>\u00a0for the second year in a row.<\/span><\/p>\n The “Need a Favor” singer took home the awards for\u00a0Male Video of the Year, CMT Performance of the Year and the night’s biggest prize, Video of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n Jelly Roll <\/span>spoke with ET after the show<\/a>, where he marveled at his three trophies and the significance of winning the night’s top honor — which was handed to him by the final presenter of the evening, Billy Bob Thornton.<\/span><\/p>\n “I don’t know what to say. I’m out of words. By the last time I got up there, I was like, ‘Man, this is crazy,'” the\u00a0<\/span>Whitsitt Chapel<\/span><\/em>\u00a0artist shared. “It’s just unreal, man.”<\/span><\/p>\n Reflecting on the wins, the singer remarked about an unusual significance about the trophies themselves — and how this year’s red color scheme was notably different from the three turquoise CMT Music Award trophies he took home last year.<\/span><\/p>\n “You want to hear how serendipitous this is? I don’t want to sound weird but…\u00a0this is the same color red that my jacket was last year at this awards show,” Jelly Roll remarked. “That jacket announced this album, and I feel like tonight kind of ended the era for this album. It’s time for new music.”<\/span><\/p>\n The 39-year-old singer also shared that he planned on celebrating his monumental victory — albeit somewhat responsibly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “Tonight is going to be a cool celebration, but I’m saving [it] because I am meeting with Gayle King in the morning,” shared Jelly Roll, who is scheduled for a sit-down interview with the\u00a0<\/span>CBS Mornings<\/span><\/em>\u00a0anchor on Monday.\u00a0“So, what I gonna do is try to be calm. Sorry, Gayle, if I blow it.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, the 2024\u00a0<\/span>CMT Music Awards<\/a>\u00a0were held at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7, at 8 p.m. ET\/PT. The show aired on CBS and is\u00a0<\/span>available to stream live and on demand via Paramount+.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n