Gabby Barrett has embraced life as a new mom.
The 20-year-old country music star welcomed daughter Baylah May on Jan. 18 and tells PEOPLE how much her priorities have changed since she and husband Cade Foehner took home their new addition.
“Oh my god, it’s great,” she said during rehearsals for the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards. “It’s a whole new world, frankly. It’s so true all the cliché sayings – when you have kids, everything in your world changes; it just turns upside down.”
Check out PEOPLE’s full coverage of the ACM Awards for the latest on one of country music’s greatest nights.
Barrett will take the stage at the ACM’s to perform her # 1 ballad “The Good Ones,” which will be her first appearance on television since giving birth.
“Now everything has changed a bit: I’m doing it for myself, I’m doing it for her now, and I’d rather have it that way,” she added. ‘She’s just my whole world now. She’s the sweetest, so it’s really cool to have her with me. ‘
Terry Wyatt / ACMA2021 / Getty Images Gabby Barrett
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The new parents met on their respective runs in Season 16 of American idol in 2018 and tied the knot in October 2019.
Barrett shared the news of little Baylah’s arrival with an Instagram post showing the baby wrapped in a deep red blanket, with a decorative sign with her name on it.
“We have a very nice week to spend with our newest addition … meet our girl,” the singer wrote in the caption, telling her daughter’s name and birthday.
After spending most of the coronavirus pandemic at home in maternity clothes, the singer couldn’t be more pleased to finally get the chance to change.
“I’m super excited! I’ve always loved dressing up and the idea of beauty and makeup and hair and all the fun stuff since I was younger,” she confessed. “I’ve had quite a few joggers and big ole t-shirts, especially when I was pregnant and after and all that, so I’m excited to get dressed up and get my hair done and my makeup done.”
Terry Wyatt / ACMA2021 / Getty Images Cade Foehner and Gabby Barrett
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Barrett already has reason to celebrate, as she received the prize for new female artist of the year, her first ACM Award earlier this week.
“I feel extremely honored. It’s just been a really big year for me in many ways,” she said. “I just feel incomprehensibly blessed – so many wonderful things for which I am just very grateful. I am thrilled to be here and be part of the ACM Awards this year.”
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The singer of “I Hope” is still up for one of the biggest accolades of the evening, the single of the year, for her debut single. Surrounded by Miranda Lambert, Carly Pearce, Ingrid Andress and Maren Morris in a category dominated by women, she only feels ‘excitement’, not nerves.
“I think single of the year is amazing, especially since it’s my first single, so that’s super cool,” she said. “All the other women are super awesome in the category so I’m really excited for them. We’ll just have to look and see, but I’m just really excited and it’s all great songs, so it’s a win.”
The 2021 ACM Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville Sunday from 8-9 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount +.