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Lainey Wilson

Lainey Denay Wilson (born May 19, 1992) is an American country music singer-songwriter and actress. Wilson performed from an early age, before going to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a career as a country performer. In 2014, she released her first album on Cupit, followed by a second on Lone Chief in 2016. Wilson secured a publishing deal and later released an extended play (EP) in 2019, which included the song "Things a Man Oughta Know". In 2020, it was issued as a single through the BBR Music Group and eventually reached number one on the American country songs chart.

Wilson has received seven Country Music Association Awards, including winning their top honor Entertainer of the Year in 2023. She has also received a Grammy Award and six Academy of Country Music Awards.

Early life

Lainey Wilson was raised in Baskin, Louisiana, a town of 250 people. Her father, Brian, was a farmer while her mother, Michelle, was a schoolteacher. She also has a sister, Janna. She became interested in music at a young age. Her family often listened to classic country music by Buck Owens and Glen Campbell. "Country music for me and my family, it was more than music. We lived the words to those songs," she told The Advocate.

At age nine, she attended a performance of the Grand Ole Opry and was drawn to the music. "I just remember looking up there, being like, ‘Man, I wanna do that'," she recalled. Wilson's father taught her a couple of chords and she was soon writing songs by her preteen years. In 2006, she released an extended play (EP) on Myspace titled Country Girls Rule. In high school, Wilson took a job impersonating Hannah Montana. Often booking her own shows, she performed as Hannah Montana at birthday parties, fairs, and festivals across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, even once performing for child cancer patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Career

2011–2018: early years in Nashville and independent releases

Wilson finished high school and moved to Nashville, Tennessee in August 2011. She first lived in a camper trailer outside of a recording studio in Nashville. The studio owner paid for Wilson's water and electricity to help make ends meet. In 2021, Wilson explained that her early years in Nashville were difficult: "It taught me that this thing was not going to be easy. It taught me perseverance." For several years, Wilson played a variety of small shows and worked on her songwriting. In 2014, Wilson released a self-titled album on the Cupit label. It was followed in 2016 by Tougher, on the Lone Chief label. The project garnered an audience and made the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. In 2018, she issued her second EP, a self-titled collection that was self-released. It led to her signing a publishing deal with Sony/ATV in 2018. The same year, she also signed a management deal.

2019–present: breakout success with "Things a Man Oughta Know"

In 2018, Wilson signed a major-label recording contract with the BBR Music Group. Her first major-label release was her third EP Redneck Hollywood (2019). Her debut major label single was also released in 2019: "Dirty Looks". Off the Record UK praised the EP, highlighting Wilson's songwriting and the production from producer Jay Joyce. The publication concluded by saying, "The EP is raw and real, pushing the country music genre wider than ever and bringing it back to the traditional while still reinventing it to its modern surroundings." Wilson then received attention from Country Music Television, who included her in their "Listen Up" Class of 2019 and on their "2019 CMT Next Women of Country" tour. She also toured with Morgan Wallen in 2019. During this same period, several of her songs were featured in the Paramount Network show Yellowstone.

In August 2020, the BBR label issued Wilson's next single to radio: "Things a Man Oughta Know". The track gained heavy media attention from sites like Youtube, Apple Music, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and Pandora. By 2021, "Things a Man Oughta Know" became her breakout single, reaching number one on Billboard Country Airplay and number three on Hot Country Songs. It was included on her third studio album Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' (2021). The disc was her first full-length album issued on BBR and contained 12 tracks. It was her second to reach the Billboard country albums chart, peaking at number 40. The disc received positive reviews. "Beyond writing and recording songs that satisfy country music fans, she succeeds at introducing her whole self through the music," concluded Taste of Country's Billy Dukes. Entertainment Focus commented, "The rising star knocks it out of the park with her new album."

Wilson appeared as a supporting act on Jason Aldean's "Back in the Saddle Tour" in 2021. The same year, Wilson collaborated with Cole Swindell on his single "Never Say Never". The duet was released as the second single from Swindell's fourth studio album Stereotype, and became Wilson's second single to top the Billboard country chart. It was followed by her 2022 solo single titled "Heart Like a Truck", then the album Bell Bottom Country. Wilson received a leading six nominations at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards, becoming the fourth artist to receive six or more nominations as a first-time nominee. Wilson also joined the cast of Yellowstone in 2022, with some of her songs also being featured in the series. She was a co-writer on the 2023 single "Chasing Tornadoes" by fellow country artist MacKenzie Porter.

Wilson received a leading nine nominations at the 57th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2023, winning five including the top honor Entertainer of the Year. She was the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year since Taylor Swift in 2009.

On May 9, 2024, Wilson announced that her fifth album Whirlwind will be released on August 23, 2024. "Hang Tight Honey" was released as its lead single to country radio on May 20, 2024.

Influences

Wilson's musical style is rooted in country music, but also incorporates elements of pop, southern rock, contemporary country and classic country. In describing her style, AllMusic's Mark Deming commented, "Wilson's voice is clear and strong, with an unapologetic Southern accent, and her songs are tough but heartfelt contemporary country with an edge that has its roots in vintage Southern rock and classic rock, as well as a dash of modern-day pop." In describing her own musical style, Wilson characterized it as "bell-bottom country", which Taste of Country called "a cross between easy listening and hard truths." Wilson has been heavily influenced by Dolly Parton, paying tribute to her in the self-composed track "WWDD" (What Would Dolly Do). She also credits Lee Ann Womack as an influence on her career and music.

Personal life

In 2022, Wilson's father, Brian Wilson, experienced severe health issues including a stroke and a fungal infection that resulted in the removal of his left eye. This all occurred while she was filming her first season on Yellowstone. Wanting to be closer to him, she considered quitting the show. However, her father encouraged her to continue filming regardless of his health outlook. He eventually recovered and was seen accompanying her on the red carpet at the 56th CMA Awards.

In late 2022, Wilson became the subject of a viral trend that occurred on social media, predominately on TikTok. A video of her performing at a concert spread very quickly on the platform. As a result of the angle of the camera and the leopard print pants Wilson was wearing, users felt the video was very flattering to the size and shape of her buttocks. The resulting trend saw users posting additional videos, pictures, and comments expressing admiration for Wilson's figure. For her part, Lainey acknowledged the trend and has largely responded to it with good humor. She made several jokes about it and also expressed hope that many people who had only heard of her because of the posts would be inspired to listen to her music and become fans.

In May 2023, Wilson was confirmed to be in a relationship with ex-NFL quarterback Devlin "Duck" Hodges. Wilson later revealed in an interview with The Bobby Bones Show that she and Hodges had been dating for over two years prior to the public revelation.