Lainey Wilson emerged as the standout winner at the 59th annual CMA Awards, held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday. The 33-year-old singer collected three of the night's top honours: Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for 'Whirlwind', and Female Vocalist of the Year.
Upon winning Album of the Year, Wilson expressed her surprise, saying, 'Mama, daddy, check it out. I was absolutely not expecting this.' She credited her fans, stating, 'I have the best fans in the world - they showed up every night singing every word off this record.' Wilson also reflected on writing the album during a period of personal change, noting that she 'held true to her longtime beliefs amid the tumult.'
Wilson later won Female Vocalist of the Year, telling the audience, 'It's a good night, it's a good night.' She thanked fellow artist Miranda Lambert for her guidance, saying, 'You have poured into me, sat around a fire with me and told me what to do, what not to do.'
After her Entertainer of the Year win, Wilson admitted that the evening's results had 'wildly exceeded her expectations.' She said, 'I just came into here just wanting to celebrate country music, the love of my life.' Wilson also thanked her family and her fiancé, whom she referred to as 'duck,' adding, 'We get married next year, come on, now.'
Ella Langley and Riley Green won Single of the Year for 'you look like you love me'. Langley said, 'I feel like this is a song that just keeps on giving because the fans keep on listening to it.' The duo also won Song of the Year alongside songwriter Aaron Raitiere, with Langley remarking, 'These songs change our lives. I don't think people really know how true that is.'
