Even as Breland’s star rises, he doesn’t always feel accepted in country music

“There are times where it feels like it’s a little tougher for me than it might be for some other people,” says country music singer-songwriter Breland. (Jimmy Fontaine)

As a bevy of white artists walked down the red carpet of the 58th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday, there was a Black artist waiting anxiously to interview them.

And his name was Breland.