Lainey Wilson is one of the biggest female stars in country music today. The 31-year-old singer/songwriter has reached a handful of milestones, including making her acting debut in Paramount Network’s Yellowstone and nabbing four trophies at the 58th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. They include Female Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Visual Media of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.
In 2022, Wilson released her fourth studio album, Bell Bottom Country, which followed her breakthrough No. 1 hit, “Things a Man Oughta Know.” The 16-track project, all of which were co-written by Wilson, earned her the coveted ACM Album of the Year win.
Struggled For Over A Decade Before Making Her Mark In Country Music
With such success, it’s hard to believe Wilson’s journey into country music stardom wasn’t instantaneous. It was actually the contrary. She struggled in Nashville, Tenn., for over a decade before making her mark.
And, what may come as an even bigger surprise is, Wilson auditioned for American Idol not once, not twice, but, according to her, seven times. Unfortunately, that pathway to success in country music wasn’t in the cards for Wilson because she never made it past the first round.
Wilson did, however, appear on the Season 21 American Idol finale in late May, where she celebrated winner Iam Tongi with two songs. She first took the stage to duet with Jelly Roll for a rendition of “Save Me” and later delivered a performance of “Heart Like a Truck.”
“I Never Made It Through” On American Idol
While co-hosting Country Countdown USA, Wilson looked back on that moment and said, “I finally made it on American Idol. I tried out seven times [and] I took the long way around but finally made it on American Idol [and] I never made it through… never made it past the first round.”
“I also tried out for The Voice,” she added, confirming that she tried her fate on more than one reality TV singing competition. “I’m grateful my story ended the way that it did.”
Wilson joins a long list of country artists who made it famous despite getting rejected from reality sing-off shows. Chris Lane, Kane Brown, and Mickey Guyton are just some of the names who have tested their vocal strengths on American Idol but didn’t make it very far, while Luke Combs, Maren Morris, and Morgan Wallen enjoyed short-lived moments on The Voice before making a name for themselves outside of the show.
And it’s no doubt that it’s tough to get turned down by a show that focuses on an artist’s passion and talent, but even through rejection Wilson never gave up on her dreams.
Wilson Never Had A Plan B And Knew She Was Destined For Success In Country Music
In an interview with People, she opened up about chasing country music and shared that she never had a backup plan.
“I’ve known that this is my calling, and there’s nothing else I want to do that I can do. I’ve always just been like, ‘No plan B. This is it.’ I feel like that time I’ve had to prepare, I don’t know… If it happened when I wanted it to, I don’t know that I would have been ready.”
“All I ever wanted was to be part of the country music industry. I remember just dreaming about that, like, ‘Oh my gosh, it would be so cool to just know these people and call them and get advice,’ and I feel that way,” she added. “I feel like country music has finally decided to love me back as much as I’ve been loving it for my whole life. It feels good to be recognized.”
This Is Just The Beginning For Lainey Wilson
While Lainey Wilson has worked years to get to where she is now, she has always remained her authentic self. Known for donning a look of flashy bell bottoms with her wide-brimmed hats, the Louisiana native shared that she has sported the same image since she was in the beginning phases of her career.
“I’ve been wearing them for ten years. Nobody has seen my ankles. One day, I’ll wear cutoff bell bottoms,” she shared. “You won’t see me in shorts. I don’t shave my legs enough to wear shorts.”
Without a doubt, this is just the beginning for Lainey Wilson as her star will shine brighter and brighter for many years to come.
Lainey Wilson is currently on the road as part of Luke Combs’ World Tour. For a complete list of Wilson’s upcoming tour dates, be sure to click the link HERE.
