Lainey Wilson: Riding the Whirlwind With Heart, Grit, and Grace
Lainey Wilson’s meteoric rise in country music has been nothing short of a whirlwind — a fitting title for her latest album, Whirlwind. But behind the accolades, sold-out tours, and televised performances is a woman determined to stay grounded in the chaos of success.
“I’m making sure that I feel like Lainey — the sister, the friend, the daughter, the aunt, the dog mom,” she says. “That’s what keeps me connected to who I was before all this.”
A Banner Year for a Breakout Star
Now 32, the Heart Like a Truck singer has become one of country’s most recognizable names. In 2024 alone, she wrapped her Country’s Cool Again tour, co-hosted the CMA Awards alongside Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, and electrified the Thanksgiving NFL halftime show in Dallas.
Despite performing in front of millions, Lainey still embraces the jitters.
“If I stop getting nervous, I’ve got something to worry about,” she says with a smile.
Full-Circle Moments
Perhaps the most emotional moment of her recent journey came when she was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry — a dream born when she first visited the Opry at age nine with her parents.
“That is better than any award I could ever get,” she says, clearly moved by the full-circle moment. “It’s sacred. It’s home.”
Now, she’s not just a visitor to the Opry’s iconic stage — she’s part of its history.
More Than a Voice: A Movement
Wilson’s success isn’t just her own — it represents a wider shift in country music. As a visible leader among the new generation of women in the genre, Lainey is helping pave the way for more female voices to be heard.
“There is a shift happening,” she says. “The ones that are breaking through right now — they’re going to be around for a long time.”
Her message is clear: this isn’t a moment. It’s a movement.
What’s Next
As 2025 kicks off, Lainey shows no signs of slowing down. She’s set to headline a European tour across London, Germany, and Scotland, and is already back in the studio working on new music.
With a Grammy in hand, a global fan base, and her boots firmly planted in the values that shaped her, Lainey Wilson is proving she’s not just riding the whirlwind — she is the whirlwind.
And she’s just getting started.