Lainey Wilson is one of the hottest artists in country music right now, which is extremely fortunate for her. She recently revealed to People there was never another option — and that was intentional.
“I’ve known that this is my calling, and there’s nothing else that I want to do, that I can do, and I’ve always just kind of been like, ‘No plan B, this is it,'” she explains.
Making it in country music is no small task. In fact, Nashville is known as a “ten year town,” meaning it will take an artist about 10 years to finally get their big break.
For Wilson, her big break was more like a dam busting open. She’s won several awards at the ACMs, CMAs and CMT Music Awards in the last year and has racked up a few No. 1 hits, both on her own and as a featured artist alongside Cole Swindell and Hardy.
Tack on an appearance on Yellowstone — arguably the biggest show on television now — and it’s a wonder the “Heart Like a Truck” singer hasn’t nabbed a nomination for Entertainer of the Year yet.
“I honestly feel like the last year we’ve lived like 10 years all mashed into one,” she told Taste of Country ahead of the ACM Awards. “It’s been crazy.”
“Somebody told me a few years ago … they said, ‘the best way for me to explain it — once it really kind of starts working — is it’s gonna feel like you’re in behind a ski boat and you’re just like dragging through the water.”
“And then eventually, years later, you finally just stand up. And then you’re off to the races and you better be holding on. And that’s the way I feel,” she says of her success.
It’s all a dream come true for the “Things a Man Oughta Know” singer — one that she has spent more than two decades working toward.
“I wrote my first song at nine years old,” Wilson shares. “I’m about to be 31 years old this year, and it’s like I’ve been preparing ever since I was nine years old.”
And while the trophies are a nice addition to all that the singer-songwriter has done, just being able to make a living in the business would be enough for her.
“All I’ve ever wanted is just to be a part of the country music industry,” Wilson told ToC. “It really does feel like country music is really starting to love me back and that’s a good feeling.”
“It’s important for me to show the other little girls and boys watching that you can do whatever you wanna do, you just gotta really really stick to it.”
