Lainey Wilson is Entertainer of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards!
The country star, 31, took home the coveted honor at the annual country music awards, out of a nominee category that included Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen.
In an emotional speech, Wilson, who won artist of the year last night, reflected on being a little girl and looking up at the sky as she dreamed of leaving her small hometown.
“I remember when I was a little girl and I would climb on top of our roof. I would open the window and go outside and I would count all the stars,” she said. “I would look up and see airplanes flying over my small town of 200 people and I would dream that I was up there in one of those airplanes.”
Wilson continued, “And the funny thing is, I still feel like that little girl. I really do. I still go up on the roof and look at the stars, except I feel like I’m a little bit more at eye level with them now.”
She concluded by thanking her fans and praising her fellow nominees, saying, “Everyone in this category has loved me… they’ve taken me on the journey, sung songs with me, written with me, encouraged me every step of the way. I love you all too because of that.”
Check out PEOPLE’s full coverage of the ACM Awards here.
Lainey Wilson at the ACM Awards on May 16, 2024 in Frisco, Texas.
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Before the show, Wilson told PEOPLE that she’ll be celebrating with her “boy” Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie Xo afterward, as well as her parents.
She also praised her boyfriend Devlin “Duck” Hodges.
“The duck is great. And the duck runs around,” Wilson said. “He is friends with all the artists. When they see me and him together, they say, ‘Duck!’ and I’m like… they pick him!”
Ahead of accepting the award for Entertainer of the Year, the “Heart Like a Truck” singer announced her plans to release her fifth studio album, Whirlwind.
“This has been my life for the past few years. I hope this record brings peace to your ‘whirlwind’ and wraps its arms around you like it did me while writing and recording it. August 23,” Wilson shared on her Instagram Notice.
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Lainey Wilson at the ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas on May 16, 2024.
Jason Kempin/Getty
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In addition to releasing a new record, the Grammy winner recently partnered with TC Restaurant Group to open Bell Bottoms Up, a three-story restaurant and bar in Nashville.
Along with the new music release, it will also be the subject of a Hulu special Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Countrywhich will be broadcast on Wednesday, May 29. Two days after that, she’ll kick off her Country’s Cool Again Tour.
The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards airs live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday, May 11 at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 AM PT and is streaming live exclusively on Prime Video.
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Source: HIS Education