Lainey Wilson Looks Back on the Year That Was Hers, a Year of Dreams That Unfolded Like a Song She Was Born to Sing, While Wearing a Smile and a Cowboy Hat Tilted Just So. Every Milestone, From Standing Ovations to Chart-Topping Hits, Felt Like a Step Toward Something Greater and More Legendary. It Wasn’t Just the Accolades or the Fervent Audiences; It Was the Unwavering Belief That She Was Leaving Her Own Mark on the History of Country Music. As She Looks to the Future, She Can See Clearly That Lainey Wilson Isn’t Just Rising; She’s Here to Rule.

Lainey Wilson discovers that the little things give her a sense of groundedness.

“I’m making sure that I feel like Lainey: the sister, the friend, the daughter, the aunt, the dog mom, and all of those things,” the singer of “Heart Like a Truck” says. “I can be the best version of the artist I strive to be as long as I can accomplish that.”

Her latest album released in August, Whirlwind, is aptly named. It reflects the country music artist’s riveting career over the last year.

“Country’s having its moment, and I’m proud to be a part of the movement,” Wilson, 32, says.

Lainey Wilson performs onstage during the Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jon Platt at The Beverly Hilton on February 03, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. — Lainey Wilson in February 2024.Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The star recently wrapped up her Country’s Cool Again Tour with over 35 shows. Last month, she cohosted the 2024 CMA Awards with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning days before a Thanksgiving NFL halftime performance for a packed crowd in Dallas and millions of viewers at home.

“I get nervous before everything, whether I’m singing for 20 people, 200 [or] 40 million households tuned in for the Dallas Cowboys game,” Wilson says. “If I stop getting nervous, I got something to worry about.”

And her year isn’t over. On Dec. 14, her Wildflowers and Wild Horses Tour will stop at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. T-Mobile, the show’s official wireless partner, is giving customers exclusive access to preferred tickets — even at sold-out shows. The company’s Magenta Status customers get VIP access to artists and events, like Wilson’s Magenta Saloon pop-up this weekend.

For the Bell Bottom Country musician, this upcoming performance will be a full-circle moment.

“We are bringing out Mae Estes and Tracy Lawrence, which is really cool to think that Tracy Lawrence is going to be on my show bill,” the “Watermelon Moonshine” singer says. “He took me out on the road with him about three years ago and I remember he stood side stage and watched every single one of my performances.”