Lainey Wilson Reveals the Recognition That 'Takes the Cake' After Her Whirlwind Year of Success (Exclusive)

• Lainey Wilson’s Wildflowers and Wild Horses Tour is coming to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 14th
• The country star opens up to PEOPLE about her big year in 2024
• “I’m not going to lie, the recognition is great,” says Wilson after receiving the Grammy and CMA awards

For Lainey Wilson, it’s the little things that keep her grounded.

“Making sure I feel like Lainey: sister, friend, daughter, aunt and dog mom and all those things,” the “Heart Like a Truck” singer tells PEOPLE. “As long as I can do that, I can be the best version of the artist I’m trying to be.”

Her latest album was released in August Whirlwindit is aptly named. It reflects the country music artist’s exciting career over the past year.

“The country is having its moment and I’m proud to be part of the movement,” says Wilson, 32.

Lainey Wilson in February 2024.

Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Lainey Wilson brings country flair to her Thanksgiving halftime performance with Jelly Roll and the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders

The star recently wrapped up Country’s Cool Again Tour with more than 35 shows. Last month, she hosted the 2024 CMA Awards with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning days before the NFL Thanksgiving halftime show to a packed crowd in Dallas and millions watching at home.

“I have stage fright first of all, whether I’m singing for 20 people or 200 [or] 40 million households watched a Dallas Cowboys game,” says Wilson. “If I stop being nervous, I have something to worry about.”

And her year is not over. On December 14, her Wildflowers and Wild Horses Tour will make a stop at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. T-Mobile, the show’s official wireless partner, gives customers exclusive access to the tickets they want — even at sold-out shows. The company’s clients with Magenta status get VIP access to artists and events, like Wilson’s Magenta Saloon this weekend.

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

“We’re doing Mae Estes and Tracy Lawrence, which is really cool to think that Tracy Lawrence is going to be at my show,” says the “Watermelon Moonshine” singer. “He took me on the road with him about three years ago and I remember him standing on the side of the stage watching every performance I did.”

Lainey Wilson in November 2024.

Getty

Lainey Wilson shares rare video with boyfriend Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges: ‘Nowhere I’d Rather Be’

Wilson’s meteoric rise from opener to headliner was not easy. For her, like many other women in the industry, it is difficult to move up the ladder.

“There is a shift happening, I will say. I hear there is more talk about female artists. I still feel like we’re not quite there yet,” says Wilson. “But the next thing about girls is, when they break through – because it’s so hard to break through – they can stand the test of time.”

In March, Wilson said Billboard country girls have a lot to say — and she tells PEOPLE they’re here to stay.

“Those who are breaking through now will be around for a long time,” says Wilson. “It’s good to see the girls come by.”

Wilson’s career does not come without its fair share of accolades. Earlier this year, she took home a Grammy for Best Country Album and earned another nod in the same category for the 2025 ceremony. She also won the 2024 CMA Award for Female Vocalist of the Year — the same night she hosted.

“I’m not going to lie, the recognition is great,” explains Wilson. “It gives me that little extra notch in my belt and the encouragement to keep going and doing what I’m doing.”

Lainey Wilson in February 2024.

Billboard via Getty

But there’s one accolade that “takes the cake,” according to Wilson.

“When I got the call last year to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry, it was better than any award I could have ever received,” she says. “The Grand Ole Opry is a magical place. My parents took me there when I was nine years old.”

She adds, “I remember where I was sitting and who I was looking at and I felt like a lot of the history of country music happened in that place and so many people walked through that door that paved the way for me.”

For 2025, Wilson has a lot more in store. She has already started a new group of music, and she starts her European tour Whirlwind on March 4th with a stop in Zurich.

“We’re going back to London and Germany and Scotland and all the great places,” says Wilson.

Tickets for Wild Flowers and Wild Horses The Las Vegas tour is on sale now.

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Source: HIS Education