The first thing Lainey Wilson sayswhen asked about her hometown is that it has no stoplights.
It has a lot of cornfields, though.
She casually uses the phrase grace and grit in conversation.
Erick Frost
To talk to Wilson is to witness a dyed-in-the-wool southern storyteller at work.
To put this into context: Country icons such asCarrie UnderwoodandMiranda Lamberthave yet to take home this award.
The song has been calledlife-changing, life-saving, and cathartic.
Wilson swept the 2023 CMA Awards, including winning the coveted Entertainer of the Year award.
For the abusers, I hope this song haunts them, WilsontoldThe Tennesseanin 2022.
For the victims, I hope they know theyre not alone.
Whatever brings the people in, she said in an Instagram post.
Wilson in her signature bell-bottoms at a 2023 event in New York.
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If somebody tells me I cant do it, hold my beer.
), whether she thinks her signature bell-bottoms will have a permanent place in her closet, and more.
Glamour: How old were you when you realized you could really sing?
I remember she used to play the song, How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?
For me, that song was probably the first that really made me feel something.
And I remember belting it in the back of the car.
And my mom was like, Surely not, nobody in this family carries a tune.
Were you encouraged after that?
Thats really where the dream sparked.
What were some early gigs people would be surprised to hear you had?
I took every opportunity you could imagine.
I played every honky-tonk talent search, every kind of Colgate Country Showdown, you name it.
In high school my job was impersonating Hannah Montana.
I would do four or five birthday parties a weekend.
Ive been grinding since I was nine years old.
I needed to prove to myself and my family that Im really serious about this.
When did you make the leap to Nashville?
So at 19 years old I figured, You know what?
If Im really going to do this thing, its time for me to head to Nashville.
And so, I was going to college.
Did you always know youd be successful?
Or did you struggle with self-doubt?
SometimesI think you have to pretend to be something that youre not.
Its been a journey, though.
I saw people and new friends who had just moved to town signing deals left and right.
No part of me ever wanted to take it away from them, but I wanted it myself.
I had faith that my time was coming.
Everybodys timing looks different.
You cant escape it no matter if you move eight hours away like I did.
Country music was the soundtrack of our lives.
We lived it out.
To me, country is being a good person.
When I think about country folks, I think about hard work.
I take being country as a huge compliment because its the truth.
Was it surreal to have one of your songs on a national [Dodge Ram] commercial?
Sometimes dreams lead to other dreams that you didnt even know you had.
I want to talk to you a little bit about your approach to style.
Can we talk about the bell-bottoms?
I can talk about bell-bottoms all day.
How did it come to be?
Did you set out thinking you need a signature, or do you just fucking love bell-bottoms?
A little bit of both.
They were blue leopard print.
And I remember being very aware of how those made me feel.
I felt sassy; I felt like I could do anything.
Youve got to do something that makes you stand out and stand apart.
For me, it was putting those bell-bottoms back on.
And at first a lot of people were like, Are you really bringing those ugly pants back?
I was like, Youre dang right.
Do you still wear them everywhere?
Do you get them made?
Do you buy them in a store?
Theres an awesome Etsy shop called calledCatONinewhere I get a lot of my show bell-bottoms.
Theyre Spandex, they make you feel great on your good and bad days, so I love those.
Wrangler makes a great pair of bell-bottoms.
So my closets full of them.
You cant have too many.
Do you think youll wear them indefinitely as your career shifts and progresses?
I do think that Ill always pull them out.
Im definitely open to trying new things.
They make me feel powerful; they make me feel like I can take anything on.
So as long as theyre making me feel that way, Ill keep wearing them.
Also, FaceTiming with my nephews, that theyll keep you real humble.
The truth is these past couple of years Ive spent very little time at home.
And so, you just find ways to make yourself feel at home when youre not actually there.
Well, Im getting my house redone right now and Im very excited about that.
Its pretty much bell-bottom country.
Youre going to walk in and its like a farmhouse on the outside and hippie on the inside.
Are there any others youd love to cover?
Im a big Rolling Stones fan.
Truthfully, a lot of their stuff kind of sounds country.
I love that grittiness; I love that rawness.
At some point in time, me and Miley Cyrus have to work together.
Do you have a favorite country song of all time?
Probably When You Say Nothing at All by Keith Whitley.
It could be a hit today.
Who are you listening to right now, outside of country?
Ive been jamming to some Noah Kahan.
I love his stuff.
Also, Im a big Allen Stone fan.
I got acquainted with him a couple months back, and I like everything.
If it makes you feel something, if it tells a story, count me in.
If something pains your spirit, its probably not that smart for you to do.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
