“This voice is courtesy of Blake Shelton last night,” said a hoarse Jon Loba, president of recorded music at BMG North America, while on stage at BMG’s annual ACM kick-off brunch at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas on Thursday, May 8.

And while he spent the night before celebrating Shelton’s 30th No. 1 country radio single, “Texas” – and his first No. 1 hit with BMG, after signing with BMG/BBR Music last September – Loba noted the week was full of celebratory moments for the label, with the Jelly Roll & Friends benefit concert on Tuesday, May 6 and Lainey Wilson performing at the ACM Lifting Lives gala honoring Brooks & Dunn on Wednesday evening.

But, said Loba, the brunch wouldn’t be about celebrating past accomplishments. “Everyone keeps asking what’s next?” he shared. “So, we decided this brunch would be about what’s next for the BBR Music Group…We continue to be in a growth mode.”

After a tip of the hat to new music coming from Dustin Lynch, who Loba called “a bedrock of our label,” second only to Jason Aldean who has been with the company from the beginning—the two-hour brunch at the Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas, demonstrated exactly that, as a handful of rising stars were spotlighted.

Drew Baldridge, whose current hit “Tough People” is No. 15 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, then took the stage to perform a new song, “Rebel,” also sharing that in just three more weeks, he will be getting his first tour bus: “I’ve been in a van for 12 years… with seven dudes,” he said with a laugh. And following a brief presentation on Alexandra Kay, who is currently touring Europe after opening for Jelly Roll last year, former American Idol contestant Colin Stough spoke about what’s next for him. “I’ve actually never been inside a country club,” he said with a laugh, scanning the packed room. He then debuted “White Trash,” a song inspired by his difficult relationship with his father.

Up next was Lanie Gardner, who performed a new track, “The Hills Have Eyes,” followed by her hit “Cry.” And before she stepped off stage, she had the surprise of a lifetime: an invitation from the Opry to make her Grand Ole Opry debut this year. And after a brief cry, she of course said, “yes.” John Morgan, who’s duet with Jason Aldean “Friends Like That” became his first Country Airplay Top 10, performed next, unveiling new music from his forthcoming album. That included a song he co-wrote with Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard based on an idea he’d been kicking around for well over a year.

And lastly, to close the brunch, Frank Ray delivered a high-energy set that included his latest track, the Latin-influenced “Miami in Tennessee,” which Loba was proudly singing along to while sitting to the side of the stage.