Miranda Lambert is praising Lainey Wilson. Wilson is included in Time magazine’s list of the World’s Most Influential Rising Stars, with Lambert penning a heartfelt essay in honor of her good friend.
“I’m a huge fan of Lainey Wilson,” Lambert writes. “I heard just a few songs and instantly loved what she is doing. She is such a light. She’s funny and she’s fun, and she has a spirit about her that brings joy to any room she walks in. Knowing her off the stage and on, I feel like I’m looking at the same person all the time. That’s pretty rare. What she does doesn’t define her. Who she is defines her, and that’s real authenticity.
“She lives and breathes songs, and you can see that passion in her eyes; it’s all about the music for her, and she lets the music lead,” she continues. “She’s a legend already—having taken home her first Grammy last year for Bell Bottom Country—and I’m thankful she’s a country artist. I’m really proud of how she represents the lifestyle we both love and the music we both love. She’s out of the gate going 100 miles an hour.”
Miranda Lambert’s Collaborations With Lainey Wilson
Lambert joins Wilson on “Good Horses,” a song Wilson wrote with Lambert and Luke Dick, which appears on Wilson’s 2024 Whirlwind record.
“Writing with Miranda and Luke feels like home, and I will forever cherish the day we wrote this song. ‘Good Horses’ is all about finding your way back home, no matter where you are,” Wilson says of the song.
“’Good Horses’ is about all the people that love the comfort of home, but also need to be free,” adds Lambert. “Lainey and I wrote this song at my farm with Luke Dick. Lainey is a genuine and authentic human. I love watching her dreams come true right in front of our eyes, and it’s so cool to be a little part of it.”
More recently, the two teamed up with Reba McEntire for “Trailblazer.” The trio debuted the song at the recent 2024 ACM Awards.
“We were just having a conversation about how both [Lambert and McEntire] have influenced me and [about] passing the torch and blazing trails for each other,” Wilson tells Billboard. “Generation after generation, it’s going to continue, but we got to keep blazing those trails for the next one.”
Lainey Wilson Heads To The CMA Awards
Wilson was just announced as the sole host of the upcoming CMA Awards, after sharing the duties last year with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning.
“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like it was the Super Bowl, so to be hosting for a second year is a true honor,” Wilson says. “I’m humbled that CMA has trusted me with this role, and I can’t wait to love on this genre that has given me so much.”
Wilson is tied with Ella Langley and Megan Moroney for the most nominations, with six nominations each. The 2025 CMA Awards will air live on Wednesday, Nov. 19 on ABC, and stream the next day on Hulu. Performers and presenters will be announced in the near future.