Lainey Wilson will be making her acting debut on season 5 of the smash hit series Yellowstone, which is set to premiere on the Paramount Network on Sunday, November 13th at 8/7c. Throughout the upcoming season, she will perform original music from her latest album Bell Bottom Country.
The “Heart Like a Truck” singer spoke to Music Mayhem about her music for the show, the fate of her character Abby, and her plans to celebrate the season premiere.
“If I was writing a song for Yellowstone, I’d be trying to write about cowboys and I’d be trying to just write about that western lifestyle,” says Wilson. “But surprisingly, the songs that they end up using are nothing to do with that.”
Wilson revealed that there is one song that she did write with her Yellowstone character Abby in mind. “There is a song that I did write for the show that I was writing it from my perspective, but I was also thinking about Abby, the role that I’m playing. And that was a really fun exercise to do, honestly. It kinda allows you to step outside of the box and outside of yourself, but you’re still yourself in a weird kind of way too.”
The Louisiana native is grateful for the chance to portray a character that was created specifically for her. “I’ve been a fan of this show for years and just to have this opportunity is huge. I don’t take it lightly. Taylor Sheridan has just been so good to me, not just by putting a few of my songs in the show, but he literally called me in February and said, I wanna create a role specifically for you and all you need to do is just be yourself and sing your song and wear your bell bottoms.”
Wilson revealed that although she has finished filming for now, she anticipates that her character will be in more episodes. “As of right now, we have finished,” she says. “They haven’t taken me to the train station just yet. So as far as I know, we’re gonna be in more.”
This will be Wilson’s acting debut, so she plans to celebrate with fans on social media. “We’re gonna be tuning in and we’ll probably do this thing where we go live during the commercial breaks and talk about everything that’s happening and stuff.”
Wilson says she expects to be just as surprised by the new season as everyone else. “I’m gonna be just as shocked as everybody else watching it because for the most part, I had the scripts of the episodes that I was in, but I do not have the scripts to every single one of ’em. I’m gonna be shocked and it’s gonna be exciting to watch.”
The reigning ACM New Female Artist of the Year has also announced the Country with a Flare Tour, presented by Stella Rosa® Future Is Female. Her first headlining tour will launch on January 4, 2023, in Spokane, WA, hitting 27-cities with stops at Irving Plaza in New York City and Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, before concluding in Columbus, OH on March 31st. Joining her on tour will be newcomer Ben Chapman as well as Meg McRee and Leah Blevins on select dates.
“It’s time for us to kind of start building our own thing,” says Wilson. “We are gonna be playing most of this new record. It’s just gonna be a good time. We are so pumped and I know my band is pumped. There’s a big difference between getting to play a 30-minute opening set and actually being able to get on stage and take your time and get to know the crowd and them get to know you. I think that right there is pretty special.”
