Cassadee Pope is nominated for Musical Event of the Year, for her No. 1 duet "Think of You" with Chris Young, at the 2016 CMA Awards. For the 27-year-old, being nominated for her first-ever CMA is just part of what she calls a whirlwind, career-changing year.

"It's crazy," Pope told The Boot at the 2016 SESAC Nashville Music Awards. "Everything that "Think of You" has done for me is so rewarding, and to be recognized for it is just the best feeling ... It's just been a really good year for me. For Chris to bring me along on this journey has been amazing."

With Young's I'm Comin' Over Tour -- on which Pope has been a special guest -- wrapping up on Dec. 10, Pope is looking ahead to 2017, when she hopes to use her success with Young to take her own career to a new level.

"Getting some new music out there to capitalize on it is my main goal," she shares. "I'm working on an album right now, writing and sifting through all the songs I've accumulated over the past two years, really. It's been a while since my last full-length came out, so I'm really working hard to get it out for people.

"[In 2017], I'm going to have new music out," Pope continues. "I hope to have a No. 1 of my own song. I hope to be playing some headlining shows. I've already got some fairs and festivals booked, so that's good. I just hope to get my music in as many ears as possible."

While Pope couldn't share many details of her new project, she was able to reveal that there's a good chance that Young will have a writing credit on at least one of the tunes.

"He's so talented as a songwriter," gushes Pope. "I knew he was because I loved his music, but to be in the room with him, and for him to be able to write a song with me, for me, is really cool because he's so specific in his range and his kind of music, so to see him feeling it as a songwriter is really inspiring."

The 2016 CMA Awards will air live from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 2 at 8PM ET on ABC.

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