Lainey Wilson Delivers “Wild” Performance At 2023 CMA Awards

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Lainey Wilson proved why she is the woman of the hour with her performance during the 2023 CMA Awards.

Lainey Wilson was the talk of the show long before awards were handed out at the 57th CMA Awards held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday night (Nov. 8). The 31-year-old star earned a near-record breaking 9 nominations ahead of the ceremony, tying her with Merle Haggard and Miranda Lambert with the second-most nods in a single year. Alan Jackson currently holds the record with 10.

The “Heart Like a Truck” singer earned nominations for Single of the Year (twice), Album of the Year, Song of the Year (twice), Female Vocalist of the Year, Musical Event of the Year, and the night’s biggest award, Entertainer of the Year.

 

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It’s no surprise that Lainey Wilson’s performance during the live awards show was something fans were looking forward to. Lainey performed at the CMAs for the first time in 2022 and brought the house down with “wait in the truck,” her award-winning collab with HARDY.

“I used to stand outside of the Bridgestone Arena for hours, in this long line, like a mile long, waiting to get a wristband so I could be down in the pit at the CMAs and I’d go buy me a dress and act like I was cordially invited,” she shared ahead of her 2022 performance. “I’m so honored to be recognized … and I’m getting to perform. This is what we’ve been working for!”

The same enthusiasm and excitement came through once again as Lainey took the stage this year to sing “Wildflowers and Wild Horses.” Framed by a literal ring of fire, Wilson brought loads of energy to her performance leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that all of her nominations are well-deserved.

The song is a track from her latest album, Bell Bottom Country, and is a tribute to Lainey’s upbringing. Upon the song’s release in December 2022, the singer wrote, “It felt necessary to have a song on this album that really paid homage to the hard working lifestyle and way of thinking that raised me. ‘Wildflowers and Wild Horses’ is about my raising and how my family tree made me who I am today.”

It felt necessary to have a song on this album that really paid homage to the hard working lifestyle and way of thinking that raised me. Wildflowers and Wild Horses is about my raising and how my family tree made me who I am today. 🌼🐎 Watch: https://t.co/HkltDBOTTC pic.twitter.com/t8eHYiMS1M

— Lainey Wilson (@laineywilson) December 2, 2022