The moment during Thomas Rhett's 2018 CMA Awards performance of "Life Changes" when he stopped by his wife Lauren Akins' chair for a quick mid-song hug was undeniably one of the sweetest moments onstage on Wednesday evening (Nov. 14). The country superstar says the interaction was unplanned -- at least, more or less.

"Before the performance, she said, 'Please don't do anything next to me, because I will not be able to handle it,'" Rhett recalled with a laugh to media backstage after the show. However, Rhett knew that the people helping him plan and choreograph the performance were hoping that, given the song's deeply personal subject matter, the onstage rendition would include a special moment between the singer and his wife.

"And I said, 'Well, they really wanted me to come sit down next to you.' And so I leaned in next to her and she kinda kissed me on the cheek and I kinda lost it," he goes on to say.

The moment went by quickly, and to those watching Rhett and Akins' brief interaction, it wasn't quite clear whether she'd just hugged him, whispered something in his ear or even tickled him a bit. Whatever happened in the moment, however, it broke Rhett's concentration for just a second. The singer goes on to say that after stopping by his wife's chair, he couldn't manage to get the next lyrics of the song out without laughing.

"There goes that line. But it was fun, man. We had a blast playing it tonight," Rhett adds.

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