Lainey Wilson kicked off her first solo hosting gig at the 2025 CMA Awards with a bang.
Wilson, 33, began by telling the crowd at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena how much country music means to her. “I grew up in the village of Baskin in Louisiana, population 175, and ever since I was a little girl, country music has been a huge part of my world,” she said on Wednesday, November 19. “It was more than a genre, it’s a way of life. Growing up in Baskin, there were two things that my family made dang sure that we never missed — and that was bull riding and the CMAs. And if we were gonna miss one, it was not gonna be this.”
The “Somewhere Over Laredo” artist then paid tribute to her friends and colleagues by performing a medley of songs by nominees and attendees including Gretchen Wilson, Ella Langley, Brooks and Dunn, Lady A and Shaboozey. Little Big Town joined her when she began singing their hit “Girl Crush,” and Miranda Lambert stood up and sang along as Wilson put her spin on “Gunpowder & Lead.” The medley wrapped up with a guest appearance by Keith Urban, who joined Wilson on stage as he played guitar.
Wilson previously hosted the CMAs in 2024 with former NFL player Peyton Manning and fellow country superstar Luke Bryan, but this year’s event marked her first time emceeing the ceremony on her own. She is also nominated for six awards this year: Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
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Speaking to Us Weekly exclusively for her cover story interview, Wilson acknowledged that she’d have a lot on her plate this year, as she’s also scheduled to perform during the show.
“It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be a very busy night,” she teased. “But I told ’em, I said, ‘If I can just get up there and y’all let me run my mouth and celebrate country music and celebrate all of my friends in this industry, then I think I’ll do OK.’”
Ahead of Wednesday’s event, Wilson was a nine-time CMA Award winner. In 2023, she took home the ceremony’s top prize, Entertainer of the Year, becoming the first woman to win the trophy in more than a decade. While she was nominated again in 2024, she lost to Morgan Wallen. Wallen, 32, is nominated again this year along with Wilson, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson and Chris Stapleton.
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“This is all I’ve ever wanted to do. It’s the only thing I know how to do,” Wilson said in her Entertainer of the Year acceptance speech in 2023. “We have played about 186 shows this year, and we’ve worked our butts off this year and so many years in between. I’ve been in this town for 12 and a half years, and it finally feels like country music is starting to love me back. I love it with my whole heart.”
Last year, Wilson took home two CMA Awards, winning Music Video of the Year for “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” and her third consecutive trophy for Female Vocalist of the Year.
“I’ve always been told if you feel like you’ve got a gift, you’re supposed to share it, and I think that means whether you drive a tractor or pour coffee, make people smile or laugh, whatever that is I think you’re supposed to share that gift,” the “Hold My Halo” singer said in her acceptance speech for the latter award.
