Everything’s coming up nettles – and we’re talking about singing Nettles, not the stinging kind. Pint-sized country pistol, Jennifer Nettles, best known for her work as half of the duo of Sugarland, has been a very busy lady and with a baby announcement this week things don’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
Nettles, who started out in her Southern Baptist church choir in small-town Douglas, Georgia, has parlayed her talent into one of the biggest careers in country music today. Not only has she ruled the charts and the awards shows with her Sugarland partner, Kristian Bush, she performed at President Obama’s inauguration and is currently the only mentor to bring two contenders into the live round of ABC’s reinvention of the singing competition show, “Duets.”
But she isn’t content to simply conquer the airwaves, Nettles is scaling the heights of domestic bliss as well. She officially hitched her wagon to that of her entrepreneur boyfriend of two years, Justin Miller, in a Smoky Mountains ceremony last November and the newlyweds are already expecting their first bundle of joy to arrive just in time for their first anniversary.
“They are thrilled beyond belief,” Sugarland’s manager Gail Gellman said in a statement confirming the happy news.
No doubt the baby news will have fans tuning in for Bump Watch 2012 as “Duets” enters the live performance portion of the competition. The premise of “Duets” extends the superstar coaching model to actual practices and performances side-by-side with the legendary coaches. Nettles joins John Legend, Robin Thicke and “American Idol’s” first victor Kelly Clarkson in mentoring and belting it out with the talented hopefuls.
Last night’s show was the first in which the partners performed live with their mentors and America got to vote for their favorite. Nettles’ team consists of charismatic student J Rome who has been at number one every week, and fellow Georgia native and special events planner John Glosson. Glosson is also a judge favorite, prompting fellow judge/mentor Clarkson to quip, “I’m secretly trying to find a way to get you kicked off the show,” in response to last week’s moving rendition of “How Great Thou Art.” Clarkson has also jokingly threatened J Rome, teasing that she wants to throw her shoe at him.
Fortunately, both of Nettles’ contestants made it through last night’s show without any bodily harm from Clarkson. Both performed admirably in their first live outing, and there’s no sign that Nettle’s expectant baby mama state is doing anything to slow her down. It looks like the Sugarland firecracker will likely remain the only coach with two potential superstars while one judge will end up empty-handed after next week’s elimination.
Check out Nettles and the rest of the singers on “Duets,” which airs on ABC on Thursday nights.
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