Lainey Wilson Wants Young Dreamers To Know The Hard Work Behind Success

Lainey Wilson is opening up about the lessons she hopes to pass on to the next generation of fans, especially the young girls dreaming of following in her footsteps with their own career in country music.

The songstress recently welcomed Southern Living into her home to share a glimpse into her world offstage. Along with offering a rare photo shoot of her colorful residence, the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year also sat down for an honest conversation.

Every song in Wilson’s discography is reflective of a moment in her life, whether it be lessons she learned growing up, the love she feels for those around her, or the upbeat anthems that capture her lively spirit. While she writes primarily for herself, she also writes with the hope that her music might resonate and make an impact on others.

“You know, of course I write music for myself. A lot of it is coming from my perspective, but it is important for me to be talking to that kid in the back row, because that little kid in the back row was me at one point,” she reflected.

Wilson went on to explain that her journey in music hasn’t been quick or easy, and a lot of the lessons she learned along the way have naturally found their way into her songs. Just because she has success now, doesn’t mean she didn’t face many years of struggles first, and it’s important to Wilson that her younger listeners understand all the hard work and patience it takes to achieve a dream.

“When I’m writing music, I want them to know that I’ve been at this a long time. I’m 33 years old. I wrote my first song at 9 years old. I started playing guitar at 11. I moved to Nashville when I was 19,” she shared. “I was here for seven years before I got a publishing deal. And then that’s when the hard work really started. So a lot of my songs are about resilience and rolling your sleeves up and things like that. And it’s not like I’m purposefully trying to put that message in the song. It just comes out because I think that is the life that I’ve lived. I don’t know any other way.”

Another way Wilson has made an effort to lift up the younger girls in her crowd is by crowning a “cowgirl of the night” on each stop of her Whirlwind Tour. This tradition finds her bringing a lucky fan on stage and prompts them to repeat a heartfelt message of self-empowerment.

@_haley_claire_ #laineywilson #cowgirlofthenight #grandrapids @Lainey Wilson ♬ original sound – Haley Claire

Alongside the more serious themes in her music, Lainey also has plenty of fun, uplifting anthems. Even amid late nights and hard work, she makes it a point not to take life too seriously, a perspective that once again shines through in her songs.

“I’ve had a lot of fun too. I ain’t gonna lie to you about that. ‘Bell Bottoms Up,’ baby,” she added, referring to her celebratory track.

In order to maintain this balance, Wilson has found ways to keep her priorities straight aka her method “to this madness.” She emphasized how important it is to stay true to herself and not let her career define her self-worth at the end of the day.

“…This is all very, very important, [meaning] my job, but it’s [also] very important for me to not put all my self-worth into what I do. I know who I am, the Lord knows who I am, and I try to live by that,” she shared. “I think it’s always about just planting your feet where they are and knowing who you are, standing up for what you believe in, and keeping your people close. I mean, that’s been my method to this madness.”

Keeping her inner circle of friends and family close has helped the “Somewhere Over Laredo” singer to stay grounded, no matter how much success comes her way. At the end of the day, these are the people who will remind her that underneath Lainey Wilson, she is still just Lainey from Baskin, Louisiana.  

“I go home to Baskin, and everybody’s trying to stop by and see me. But it’s not because of everything that’s going on; it’s just because they want to stop by and see me, you know? And just making sure that I’m taking the time to do the things that make me feel like Lainey, the sister and friend and daughter.”

So for the next generation of fans looking up to the country star just as she did to the legends who came before her, her story serves as both a roadmap and a reminder to work hard, stay true to yourself, lean on the people who matter most, and never forget where you came from.