Photo: Getty Images
Miranda Lambert just congratulated this year’s Academy of Country Music New Female Artist of the Year, and the award winner could hardly contain her excitement. Lainey Wilson shared her reaction on her social media channels on Friday morning (March 4), gushing: “I’m shook & for the first time ever, speechless. What an honor it is to win the [ACM Awards] New Female Artist of the Year award!”
Wilson thought she was on the call to conduct an interview with someone in Las Vegas, where the 57th ACM Awards will take place on Monday (March 7). Instead, she saw Lambert pop up on screen — and not from Vegas. Lambert said had she known Wilson was in Nashville, she would have wanted to drive to her house to deliver the news in person. Wilson teared up almost immediately after Lambert revealed that she’s this year’s ACM New Female Artist of the Year. “If there’s anyone who understands the blood sweat and tears it’s you… I’m so glad it’s you,” Wilson said of having Lambert make the announcement. She later added: “I just wanna say thank you for paving the damn way… This is the best news I think I’ve ever gotten.”
The respect was mutual, as Lambert — who is nominated in several categories — told Wilson “it made my heart happy” to hear that Wilson won the award, and that she’d get to deliver the news. ”You’re killing it. We all hav each other. We push and we trailblaze for each other. To go to your first ACMs and go as a winner, that’s pretty bada**.”
Wilson, a previous iHeartRadio “On The Verge” artist, released her debut album last year. Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ is a 12-track collection that includes her breakout single, “Things A Man Oughta Know.” Wilson also celebrated a hit single when she teamed up with Cole Swindell on “Never Say Never.”
The 57th ACM Awards is set for Monday, March 7. Country legend Dolly Parton will host the show, along with last year’s New Female and New Male Artists of the Year, Gabby Barrett and Jimmie Allen. The two-hour “concert event of the year” will livestream commercial-free on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. EST. Watch Wilson’s reaction to winning New Female Artist of the Year here: