What's better than joining Jelly Roll, Niall Horan and others on the long list of acts who've heard one of their songs sung by Kelly Clarkson in a Kelly-oke segment? Dropping by "The Kelly Clarkson Show" to sing one of your own songs alongside Clarkson.
Lainey Wilson did just that recently when she and Clarkson turned "Country's Cool Again" into a duet.
While many gifted singers would be overshadowed by Clarkson's voice and presence, Wilson held court. Clarkson did take a verse or two, but for the most part, she sang harmony vocals while Wilson showed why she's been winning major awards left and right.
Wilson stuck around for the rest of the show. During a later segment, Clarkson put over how star-struck she feels around the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year.
"She's going to hire someone to keep me away from her, like security," Clarkson joked. "It's an honor to sing with you, I'm so stoked for your whole career. I'm just a big fan, y'all. She's so rad."
"Country's Cool Again" was released on Feb. 16. As its title gives away, it's about the recent uptick in mainstream popularity for country music. Think of it as the modern equivalent of Barbara Mandrell's 1981 hit "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."
Last year was a historic one when it came to country songs topping the pop chart, and already in 2024, one of the biggest pop icons on the planet in Beyonce has embraced the twang.
"Country's been havin' the comeback of a lifetime and all I gotta say is, I'm here for it. It's always been cool in our book, but welcome to the party y'all," Wilson wrote on Instagram upon the song's arrival.
Country's Cool Again doubles as the name of Wilson's upcoming headlining tour.
