Lainey Wilson hosts the 2025 CMA Awards (Disney/Robby Klein)
On Wednesday night Lainey Wilson will follow in the footsteps of Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire, becoming one of the only female country stars to host the CMA Awards solo.
It’s a role she’s been studying for since her childhood in Louisiana.
“I remember being a little girl and just sitting in front of the TV waiting for the CMA Awards to come on,” Lainey says. “It was like [the] Super Bowl at my house. It was just like the event of the year. We wanted to see what everybody was wearing, what they were singing, who won what. And we were just cheering for everybody, because we were cheering for the genre.”
For Lainey, leading Country Music’s Biggest Night is definitely a pinch-me moment.
“It’s crazy to think that I was ever even invited to attend something like this, much less nominated to win something, and now I’m getting the chance to host it and represent country music,” she reflects. “So I don’t take that lightly.”
“I think that little girl in front of that TV would be awfully proud,” she adds.
Tune in to see Lainey host the 59th annual CMA Awards Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, as she simultaneously competes for six trophies.
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