Lainey Denay Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Wilson performing at the Ascend Amphitheatre in Nashville, Tennessee, June 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Lainey Denay Wilson (1992-05-19)May 19, 1992 (age 33) Baskin, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Origin | Nashville, Tennessee,U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation |
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| Instruments |
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| Works | Lainey Wilson discography |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels |
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Partner(s) | Devlin "Duck" Hodges (2021–present, engaged) |
| Website | laineywilson |
Lainey Denay Wilson (born May 19, 1992[1]) is an Americancountry singer-songwriter. She performed at an early age, before going toNashville to pursue a career as a pop music 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 anextended play (EP) in 2019 which included the song "Things a Man Oughta Know". In 2020, it was issued as asingle through theBBR Music Group and eventually reached number one on the Americancountry songs chart.
Wilson has received nineCountry Music Association Awards, including winning their top honorEntertainer of the Year in 2023 and 2025. She has also received aGrammy Award and sixteenAcademy of Country Music Awards.
Lainey Wilson was raised inBaskin, 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.[2] Her family often listened to classic country music byBuck Owens andGlen Campbell. "Country music for me and my family, it was more than music. We lived the words to those songs," she toldThe Advocate, aBaton Rouge, Louisiana newspaper.[3]
At age nine, she attended a performance of theGrand Ole Opry and was drawn to the music. "I just remember looking up there, being like, ‘Man, I wanna do that'," she recalled.[4] Wilson's father taught her a couple of chords and she was soon writing songs by her pre-teen years.[2] In 2006, she released anextended play (EP) onMyspace titledCountry Girls Rule.[1] In high school, Wilson took a job impersonatingHannah Montana. Often booking her own shows,[4] 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.[2]
Wilson graduated from high school[2] and moved to Nashville in August 2011.[3] 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.[5] In 2021, Wilson said that her early years in Nashville were difficult: "It taught me that this thing was not going to be easy. It taught me perseverance."[3] For several years, Wilson played a variety of small shows and worked on her songwriting.[2] In 2014, she released a self-titled album on the Cupit label.[6] It was followed in 2016 byTougher, on the Lone Chief label.[7] The project garnered an audience and made theBillboardTop Country Albums chart.[8] In 2018, she released her second EP, a self-titled collection that was self-released. It led to her signing a publishing deal[2] withSony/ATV in 2018. Also in 2018, she also signed a management deal.[9]
In 2018, Wilson signed a major-label recording contract with theBBR Music Group.[10] Her first major-label release was her third EPRedneck Hollywood (2019). Her debut major labelsingle was also released in 2019: "Dirty Looks".[11]Off the Record UK praised the EP, highlighting Wilson's songwriting and the production from producerJay Joyce. The publication said, "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."[12] Next she received attention fromCountry Music Television, who included her in their "Listen Up" Class of 2019[13] and on their "2019 CMT Next Women of Country" tour.[14] She also toured withMorgan Wallen in 2019.[11] During this same period, several of her songs were featured in theParamount Network showYellowstone.[15]
In August 2020, the BBR label issued Wilson's next single to radio: "Things a Man Oughta Know".[16] The track gained heavy media attention from sites likeYouTube,Apple Music,[17]iHeart Radio,[18]Spotify,[19] andPandora.[20] By 2021, "Things a Man Oughta Know" became her breakout single, reaching number one onBillboardCountry Airplay and number three onHot Country Songs.[21] It was included on her third studio albumSayin' What I'm Thinkin' (2021). The disc was her first full-length album issued on BBR and contained 12 tracks.[22] It was her second to reach theBillboard country albums chart, peaking at number 40.[8] 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," concludedTaste of Country's Billy Dukes.[23]Entertainment Focus commented, "The rising star knocks it out of the park with her new album."[24]
Wilson appeared as a supporting act onJason Aldean's "Back in the Saddle Tour" in 2021.[25] The same year, Wilson collaborated withCole Swindell on his single "Never Say Never".[26] The duet was released as the second single from Swindell's fourth studio albumStereotype, and became Wilson's second single to top theBillboard country chart.[27] It was followed by her 2022 solo single titled "Heart Like a Truck", then the albumBell Bottom Country.[28] Wilson received a leading six nominations at the56th Annual Country Music Association Awards, becoming the fourth artist to receive six or more nominations as a first-time nominee.[29] Wilson also joined the cast ofYellowstone in 2022, with some of her songs also being featured in the series.[30] She was a co-writer on the 2023 single "Chasing Tornadoes" by fellow country artistMacKenzie Porter.[31]
Wilson received a leading nine nominations at the57th Annual Country Music Association Awards in 2023, winning five including the top honorEntertainer of the Year. She was the first woman to win Entertainer of the Year sinceTaylor Swift in 2009. In 2024, she featured onKeith Urban's song "Go Home W U".[32]
On May 9, 2024, Wilson announced that her fifth albumWhirlwind was released on August 23, 2024.[33] "Hang Tight Honey" was released as its lead single to country radio on May 20, 2024.[34] That same month, Wilson was featured on a new version of "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" withTerri Clark, from Clark's albumTerri Clark: Take Two.[35] In 2024,Whirlwind was nominated forGrammy Award for Best Country Album at the67th Annual Grammy Awards, to take place in 2025.[36] Wilson's "Out of Oklahoma" won Best Music Video at the15th Hollywood Music in Media Awards.[37] In 2026, Wilson will make her feature film acting debut inReminders of Him, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel of the same name.[38]
Wilson's musical style is rooted in country music, but also incorporates elements ofpop,southern rock, contemporary country, andclassic country.[2][39] In describing her music,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."[2] In describing her own musical style, Wilson characterized it as "bell-bottom country", whichTaste of Country called "a cross between easy listening and hard truths."[4] Wilson has been heavily influenced byDolly Parton, paying tribute to her in the self-composed track "WWDD" (What Would Dolly Do).[40] Wilson creditsLee Ann Womack as an influence on her career and music.[41]
In 2022, Wilson's father, Brian Wilson, experienced severe health issues including a stroke and a fungal infection which resulted in the removal of his left eye. This all occurred while she was filming her first season onYellowstone. 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 the56th CMA Awards.[42][43][44]
In late 2022, Wilson became the subject of aviral trend that occurred onsocial media, predominantly onTikTok. A video of her performing at a concert spread very quickly on the platform. As a result of the angle of the camera and theleopard print pants Wilson was wearing, users felt the video was very flattering to the size and shape of herbuttocks. 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 only knew about her because of the posts would be inspired to listen to her music and become fans.[45][46]
In May 2023, Wilson was confirmed to be in a relationship with formerNFLquarterbackDevlin "Duck" Hodges.[47] Wilson later revealed in an interview withThe Bobby Bones Show that she and Hodges had been dating for over two years prior to the public knowing about it.[48] Both Hodges and Wilsonsupport thePittsburgh Steelers, because Hodges used to play quarterback for them. In February 2025, Wilson and Hodges announced their engagement.[49]
On May 31, 2024, Wilson opened Bell Bottoms Up, a three-story bar,Cajun restaurant and music venue in downtown Nashville.[50][51][52][53]
Studio albums
Headlining
Supporting
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Yellowstone | Abby | Season 5 | [30] |
| 2024 | Rebel Country | Herself | Country Music documentary | [54] |
| 2026 | Reminders of Him | Amy | Movie | [38] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | CMT Music Awards | Breakthrough Video of the Year – "Things a Man Oughta Know" | Nominated | [55] |
| Academy of Country Music Awards | New Female Artist of the Year | Won | [56] | |
| Song of the Year – "Things a Man Oughta Know" | Won | |||
| 2022 | CMT Music Awards | CMT Digital – First Performance of the Year – "Things a Man Oughta Know" | Nominated | [57] |
| Video of the Year – "Never Say Never"(withCole Swindell) | Nominated | |||
| Country Music Association Awards | Female Vocalist of the Year | Won | [58] | |
| New Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| Album of the Year –Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' | Nominated | |||
| Song of the Year – "Things a Man Oughta Know" | Nominated | |||
| Musical Event of the Year – "Never Say Never"(withCole Swindell) | Nominated | |||
| Video of the Year – "Never Say Never"(withCole Swindell) | Nominated | |||
| 2023 | Academy of Country Music Awards | Album of the Year –Bell Bottom Country | Won | [56] |
| Female Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| Single of the Year – "Heart Like a Truck" | Nominated | |||
| Song of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(withHardy) | Nominated | |||
| Musical Event of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(with Hardy) | Won | |||
| Visual Media of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(with Hardy) | Won | |||
| Country Music Association Awards | Entertainer of the Year | Won | [58] | |
| Female Vocalist of the Year | Won | |||
| Album of the Year –Bell Bottom Country | Won | |||
| Song of the Year – "Heart Like a Truck" | Nominated | |||
| Single of the Year – "Heart Like a Truck" | Nominated | |||
| Single of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(with Hardy) | Nominated | |||
| Musical Event of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(with Hardy) | Won | |||
| Musical Event of the Year – "Save Me"(withJelly Roll) | Nominated | |||
| Video of the Year – "Wait in the Truck"(with Hardy) | Won | |||
| 2024 | 66th Grammy Awards | Best Country Duo/Group Performance – "Save Me"(with Jelly Roll) | Nominated | [59] |
| Best Country Album –Bell Bottom Country | Won | |||
| 2025 | 67th Grammy Awards | Best Country Album –Whirlwind | Nominated | |
| MTV Video Music Awards | Best Country Video – "4x4xU" | Nominated | [60] | |
| 2026 | 68th Grammy Awards | Best Country Solo Performance – "Somewhere Over Laredo" | Nominated | |
| Best Country Song – "Somewhere Over Laredo" | Nominated | |||
| Best Country Duo/Group Performance – "Trailblazer"(withReba McEntire andMiranda Lambert) | Nominated |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
