Lainey Wilson Shares that Making Her Forthcoming Project "Made Me Feel at Home"

While participating in her Artist of the Day interview on day four of CMA Fest 2024, country trendsetter Lainey Wilson shared some of her secrets to songwriting, as well as a few tantalizing teasers regarding her forthcoming album, Whirlwind, slated for release on August 23.

Alongside Aussie's pride and joy, Keith Urban, Wilson told the sea on onlookers and admirers about some of the work and effort that went into making her highly-anticipated 2024 record, noting that, "making this record made me feel at home."

The album's title holds a world of meaning for the 'Watermelon Moonshine' singer who explains that she's just been "trying to keep both feet on the ground" over the last few years as her star as risen to astronomical heights.

"It's been a constant feeling of having to level up and keep going. Two years ago, I think I had a team on the road of five people and we were crammed into a truck. Now, I have a team of like sixty people on the road and it's crazy," she reflected. "Throughout all of it, the thing that has kept one foot on the ground, for me, is writing and recording this record. When I was not at home, making this record made me feel at home."

Noting that she writes hundreds of songs for each of her albums, which are eventually whittled down to a mere dozen or so, Wilson makes mention that, at the end of the day, what's important to her is quality over quantity.

"At times, I get scared because I'll be writing and think, 'How are we going to decide what 12 or 14 to put on this record.' But me and my team are weirdly always on the same page about the ones that you keep going back to and listen to over and over again," she explained. "I kind of have to take myself out of it, pretend that it's not me and see if I feel something."

Going all the way back to her debut record, Sayin' What I'm Thinkin', the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry family reinforced this idea by sharing that the song that would become her breakthrough single, 'Things A Man Oughta Know,' hadn't originally made the cut to be on the project. Lucky for us, by some miracle or divine intervention, the Louisiana native had a change of heart and was compelled to record it just two weeks before going into the studio.

"I think it's about listening to those gut instincts," she explained. And those instincts seem to be leading her well as she continues to pump out one hit after another.

As one of the genre's fastest-rising stars, Wilson's 2024 record is at the top of the most highly anticipated country projects of the year. Mentioning her growth as a person, artist and songwriter since the release of Bell Bottom Country in October of 2022, this new collection of songs already seems to be showing that evolution as she's teased a number of the expected tracks throughout the opening shows on her Country's Cool Again Tour.

From its previously released tunes – 'Hang Tight Honey' and 'Country's Cool Again' – to the evocative love song, '4x4 By You,' and the enduring yet free spirited 'Good Horses,' which will excitingly feature fellow powerhouse Miranda Lambert, Whirlwind already has the makings to be Wilson's strongest release thus far.

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