Is there anything that country star Lainey Wilson can't conquer? At 33, the singing sensation from Baskin, Louisiana (pop. 200) has stellar achievements piling up to the ceiling. Wilson had a plum movie role in Reminders of Him, she appeared on Yellowstone, she is getting married to her fiance, Devlin "Duck" Hodges, and that is not all. On April 22, a Netflix documentary about her, Lainey Wilson: Keepin' Country Cool, will drop. She will also be headlining at Stagecoach this month.
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Whew! It's enough to make anyone's head spin. However, Lainey Wilson still manages to stay firmly grounded and modest, despite her burgeoning success and its myriad demands.
Above all, she is deeply thankful for the blessings coming her way in droves. Per People, Wilson said, "Even 15 years in Nashville could not prepare me for the way my career exploded. I mean, this is all I could have ever wanted and more."
Wilson Fought Hard for Her Success but She Felt the Pressure
Her rise to fame and fortune was not overnight. In fact, she had her own Hannah Montana act as a kid and then headed for Nashville while still in her teens. Wilson lived in a camper, "then spent nearly a decade grinding before landing her major-label deal in 2018," per the outlet. But she was beset by depression, anxiety, and a packed schedule that was hard to cope with.
When the pressure got intense, Lainey Wilson recalled advice she got from none other than country icon Reba McEntire. The "Fancy" singer told her, "When I feel like I can't do it anymore, then I do it for somebody else." Her words definitely clicked with Wilson. She said, "It was like a light bulb went off."
She Keeps the Heady Trappings of Stardom in Perspective
When the big money comes rolling in, along with awards, opportunities, and legions of fans, it's easy to get carried away. Lainey Wilson has not let that happen to her. "I'm not just a singer, songwriter, musician — that's what I do. Trophies and awards are things that come along with success, but it cannot define me as a person, because that's when I lose sight of who I am. I got to keep my head screwed on straight."
Another Steadying Influence Is Her Fiance
Wilson credits her longtime beau and husband-to-be, "Duck" Hodges, with helping her remain centered amidst all the hoopla. She appreciatively observed, "He's just that place that I get to come home to and fill my cup back up. "He makes me want to be a better person. We're a good team."
