One of Lauren Akins’ favorite songs on husband Thomas Rhett’s new album, About a Woman, is a track called “What Could Go Right.” It tells the story of the night Rhett told his future wife — whom he’s known since first grade — how he really felt about her.
“We were 21 years old and we were on her parents’ front porch, and I was like, ‘Hey, we’re either going to date or I can’t see your face for five years because I’ve been in love with you since I was 16,’” the singer shares in the latest issue of Us Weekly. “It was the first time we kissed, and we got engaged six months later.”
Since tying the knot in their native Nashville in October 2012, the couple have been on quite a ride. Rhett scored his first of 22 No. 1 singles in early 2014 and has gone on to win eight ACM Awards and two CMA Awards. He and Akins, both 34, also welcomed four children — Willa Gray, 8, Ada James, 6, Lennon Love, 4, and Lillie Carolina, 2.
Over the years, they’ve been refreshingly honest about their ups and downs, balancing their picture-perfect Instagram feeds with real talk about the trials and tribulations of marriage and parenthood. Akins even penned a bestselling memoir, Live in Love, about the challenges they’ve faced as a couple.
“Hardships are going to enter your lives at some point in time, it’s just about how you weather the storms,” says Rhett. Adds Akins: “Even when it doesn’t feel easy, at the end of the day, we choose each other.”
Here, the country superstar tells Us more about marriage, music and matters of the heart.
Not many couples have known each other as long as you and Lauren. That must be such a special connection.
No doubt. I think that’s why we can make fun of each other so easily. We know so many things about one another.
What do you love most about Lauren?
She’s one of the most interesting and smartest people I know. She graduated from [the University of] Tennessee with a nursing degree. She was always at the top of our class. In high school, she tutored me in math. She’s genuinely the most authentic person I’ve ever met.
Now we know who’s helping the kids with their math homework.
Willa Gray was doing some yesterday and they don’t carry numbers anymore, so I literally had to look at my 8-year-old and tell her I couldn’t help her. That’s a blow to a dad’s heart. I thought I’d at least help until algebra and geometry and then tap out. So, yeah, Lauren is definitely the one doing that!
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In the past, you guys have talked about having issues in your relationship and going to marriage counseling. Was there a specific low point?
We were becoming famous at arguably the hardest moment in our personal lives. Adopting [Willa Gray] and getting pregnant at the same time while having to be in Uganda for a year with me traveling back and forth was so challenging. I’d go to Uganda and be husband and dad, and then go to America and be like, “OK, shows and music.” I was internally imploding, and so was Lauren. We’d both come to these breaking points [feeling like] something has to give. It was not a fun time in our marriage.
How did you two get through it?
Giving up was not an option. That thought has never crossed my mind or Lauren’s. With me being a fixer and Lauren being stubborn, we made it work. The easiest thing to do is quit. But when you don’t and you keep grinding it out, you’ll inevitably become stronger.
So would you say it ultimately made you a better couple?
I’m so grateful we had to go through that because now we have a full bag of tools to use the next time something hard [happens].
Why be so open about all of this stuff?
One of my favorite things to do is talk about how hard marriage can be and how hard it is to be a dad and raise children to be good people. There are days that are easier than others and moments of pure joy, and there’s a lot of days that suck. I feel like I have some wisdom to share with younger people so they don’t make the same mistakes I did.
Were you and Lauren ever hesitant to show the world you’re not perfect?
At 26, it was nerve-racking to portray anything that was less than “couple goals” on Instagram. Now there’s no pressure to pretend we’re [something] we’re not. We are normal people who deal with the same stuff everybody else deals with.
What advice do you have for other couples who might be going through a hard time?
Complete honesty at all costs. Darkness cannot live where the light is. As for younger artists trying to decide, “Do I want to get married at 22? What will this do for my career?” If they’re your person, marry ’em and own it. Make that person your centerpiece because that’s your rock for the rest of your life.
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Do you want more kids?
We’re both really happy with four. Lillie’s starting school, so we’ve been like giddy little kids saying, “What are we going to do with eight hours a day, three days a week?” But it wouldn’t be shocking if a fifth [came along] in the next three or four years.
What does a typical weekday look like in the Rhett/Akins household?
School ends at 3:30, so we get home and let the kids play for an hour and then we do homework. Then it’s dinnertime, bath and bedtime. Lauren and I have become old people, so we sit in bed and read books separately until we fall asleep. Our lives aren’t crazy.
What about date nights?
Now that our kids are older, we started to make it past 9:30. We love going to dinner, sharing wine. We also have a great community of friends, so we’ll hang out with six or seven people at a restaurant or whatever.
If you could go back to your first day of parenting, what would you tell yourself?
To cherish it. It’s easy to wish away the hard years. [Lauren] calls them the “wiping years” — wiping tears, wiping floors, wiping butts, all of that. I’ve been a dad long enough to know how fast it goes. One day my problems with my kids are going to be a lot different than not wanting to eat broccoli. I’m learning how to live in these moments.
Has it been cool watching the kids discover what you do for a living?
It’s really fun. Any chance I get, I’m like, “Do you want to come on the road this weekend?” They’re all about it. Ada James is like me — she loves to be in front of the camera. A couple months ago [after a show], I spent two hours with Ada James passing out pictures and Willa Gray grabbing people’s hats for me to sign. That was [when] I realized they understand what I do.
Would you encourage them to follow in your footsteps?
If they really loved it. They love to sing and bang around on the piano, but Ada James wants to be a cop and Willa Gray wants to be a heart surgeon, so they might already have their lives planned out.
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You adopted Willa Gray from Uganda in 2017 and have been open about it being a tough process. What would you tell other parents in that position?
I’m not going to lie, there were many nights where I was like, “I don’t know if this paper is ever going to get signed or if we’re going to hammer down that meeting we need to have.” Prayer got us through. Expect roadblocks but don’t lose heart. If you feel called to adopt, don’t let the fire burn out.
How do you find balance between your career and fatherhood?
No parent wants to hear, “Why do you have to leave?” I had to learn how to re-tool my answer, so instead of saying, “I know, baby, I really don’t want to go,” I say, “I don’t have to leave. I get to because I have the privilege of doing something I love for my job.” I want them to know it’s possible to do something you love for a living.
Tell us more about your new album, About a Woman. What inspired you?
I wanted to make my wife and kids dance. It was very intentional to make the record feel upbeat. I’m known for writing love songs, but I wanted to produce them in a way that’s fun and joyful.
You previously said you were inspired by how Taylor Swift conducted her live shows. Did you take any of that inspiration when coming into this album?
I think the biggest thing I took away from her was that she had no fear on that stage. Two hours in, I was like, “This is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes.”
Did you reach out to her afterwards?
Me and Taylor actually grew up in the same little town in Nashville. I used to see her at Sonic and Starbucks back in the day. She’s been so kind always. My wife and kids were in London a couple weeks ago when she was doing her third night at Wembley, and she hooked all my kids up. She’s always been really kind to our family.
After all your awards and accolades, do you still feel pressure to top yourself?
When I was starting out, I kind of didn’t care. I’m broke already, it can’t get any worse. There were a few years [around 2020 to 2022] where I wasn’t really feeling the joy. You’re looking at what your friends are doing and you’re like, “I sold out one night, but he sold out three,” and you think, “I’m not good enough.” But this record was a very freeing moment for me to get back to doing it for the love of it rather than the outcome. I’m more excited than I’ve ever been in my career.
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How do you feel about all the country music crossover happening lately?
It’s amazing. Cowboy culture has become famous around the globe. You can’t stop a cultural moment like this. I love that people who had never heard of country music or always thought it was lame are now vibing to it.
You’re close with Post Malone, who released his new country album, F-1 Trillion, this month. Would you ever do a collaboration?
I’d love to collab with Posty. We’ve tried to get dates in the books to write songs for two years, we just haven’t been able to make it happen [yet].
Who else would you love to work with?
My favorite artist is Teddy Swims. He’s arguably one of the greatest singers ever. He and Bruno Mars are No. 1 on my list.
How do you stay grounded?
It’s hard to be prideful when you have children. They’ve humbled me. You walk in the door and somebody’s like, “Make me a sandwich.” And Lauren and I have adopted this idea of serving people. When you try to live your life for the sake of others, there’s no room for pride to creep in. I don’t get it right all the time but I wake up and go, “How can I be better for somebody else today?”
For more on Thomas Rhett, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
