Carly surprised her now boyfriend, former MLB player Riley King, with a kiss before she went onstage at the 2021 Country Music Awards to accept her award for Female Vocalist of the Year.

She revealed in an interview on Friday Night Takeover (via Music Mayhem Magazine) that she met Riley through mutual friends. Carly also noted she wanted to keep their relationship quiet initially, as she felt cautious and didn't want to rush things with Riley too quickly. (Until she kissed him on national TV!)

The couple have been dating for more than a year and are still going strong. Carly will also be hosting the annual CMA Country Christmas live event, a show that will feature country stars like Maren Morris, The War and Treaty, Steven Curtis Chapman, and more. Carly may be dating a King, but she's certainly earned her own status as a country music queen!

You can watch the CMA Country Christmas special on Thursday, Dec. 8 on ABC at 9 p.m. EST.