Lainey Wilson at the 2024 ACM Awards

Lainey Wilson has been on a steady climb with her ACM Award wins after winning New Artist of the Year in 2022, Female Artist of the Year in 2023 and is now up for Entertainer of the Year in 2024. “I wasn’t nervous until I got here and saw all y’all and we started talking about it,” she said ahead of Thursday night’s show. “So many feelings. It’s just hard to wrap your head around all of it, but I’m excited.” Along with her Entertainer of the Year nom, Lainey is walking into the awards with an additional four nominations. With a big night ahead, Lainey is staying cool calm and collected knowing she has one of the best plus ones ever — her mama. “My mama has never walked a red carpet,” Lainey said before sharing her mom is embracing the experience to the fullest. “She was at the spa this morning, I didn’t even get my toes done for this and my mama is gettin’ her toes done. She was like, ‘I want the works!’” Sharing her special night with her mom is just another example of how humble Lainey remains after skyrocketing to fame over the last few years, and also where the 31-year-old drew inspiration for her next album, Whirlwind. “In the last few years I have said the word, ‘whirlwind’ a million times because that’s what I feel like it’s been,” she shared. “Trying to keep one foot on the ground, trying to make sure that I’m staying true to myself because we are moving at a very rapid pace and I can see where it’s easy to lose yourself.” “When I was writing this music and even when I was recording this music… I felt at home. I think making this record, it truly, it was the thing that kept me feeling still in a little bit of the chaos.” Whirlwind is set to release August 23. Hear more about the album, ACM Awards and Lainey’s new Bell Bottom’s Up Bar in Nashville by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal