Lainey Wilson Hints at First Solo Hosting Role for 2025 CMAs (Exclusive)
Lainey Wilson has quite a busy schedule at this year’s CMAs — she’s not only performing but also hosting — yet she remains unfazed by the demands.
“It’s gonna be hilarious,” 33-year-old Wilson exclusively shared with Us Weekly during a cover story interview ahead of the awards show on Wednesday, November 19. “I’m hosting solo, and I’m up for six nominations. I’m thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, this is going to be a blast.’ It’s definitely going to be a hectic night.”
The Grammy-winning artist expressed her intent to have a great time surrounded by friends and colleagues.
“I mentioned, ‘As long as I can get up there and chat, celebrating country music and all my friends in this industry, I believe I’ll be just fine,’” she elaborated.
Wilson performs in front of enormous audiences while on tour — she sold out Madison Square Garden for the first time in October — but she notes that sharing the stage with her peers feels “100 percent” different.
“That’s why I just have to close my eyes and pretend everyone’s in their underwear, you know?” she joked. “It’s definitely a unique experience, and things translate differently on TV compared to in the room. We’ll prepare for it during the week leading up, and it’s going to be wonderful.”
The “4x4xU” artist is hosting the CMA Awards alone for the first time this year after co-hosting alongside country star Luke Bryan and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning last year. She has also received six nominations: Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year.
Lainey Wilson is one of the leading stars in country music, but even she sometimes faces critics. Fortunately, she has developed a strong method for tuning out the negativity. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Wilson, 32, talked openly about her experiences with detractors. “I’ve definitely become thicker-skinned, and I’m proud of that, because…”
Wilson earned her first CMA for Entertainer of the Year in 2023, making her the first woman to receive the award in over a decade. The last female artist to win was Taylor Swift, who claimed the title in 2009 and 2011.
While Wilson is excited to represent all the phenomenal women who paved the way for her, she conveyed to Us that she and other female artists “must continue” to break barriers.
“I’ve realized since moving to Nashville in 2011 that I’d need to break down some doors myself because no one else would. It was a hard truth I had to accept early on. So, when I felt the journey was tougher just due to my gender, I worked even harder, and the only reason I’m in this position now is because of the incredible women before me,” she noted.
Stay tuned: Lainey Wilson is giving fans an inside look at life on the road for the Country’s Cool Again tour. In an exclusive chat with Us Weekly, the “Watermelon Moonshine” artist shared how she prepares mentally before stepping on stage. “Whiskey and a prayer — and just being goofy with my band,” […]
She acknowledges Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton as pivotal influences that have enabled her to reach her current status. (She has collaborated with both on 2025’s “Trailblazer” and a 2023 cover of The Judds’ “Mama He’s Crazy,” respectively.)
“These remarkable women … have persistently broken down barriers for one another, and we must continue this effort through generations,” she emphasized, adding that she seeks to support younger artists by “being a listening ear and sharing the knowledge passed down to me from individuals like Reba and Dolly, who generously offered their wisdom. Everything they impart, I soak up. I think, ‘These women have done something right, and they are where they are due to the lessons learned along the way.’”
The 59th annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live on ABC on Wednesday, November 19, at 8 p.m. ET. For more with Wilson, check out the Humankind Issue of Us Weekly, available now.
