Lainey Wilson Just Admitted What Made 2025 Her Most Unforgettable Year

Country music has a new queen.

And she just reflected on a year nobody expected.

Lainey Wilson just admitted what made 2025 her most unforgettable year.

Lainey Wilson dominated country music in ways nobody saw coming

When 2025 started, Lainey Wilson was already a Grammy winner and CMA Entertainer of the Year.

By the time December rolled around, she'd rewritten the record books.

Wilson became only the third woman in history to win CMA Entertainer of the Year twice, joining Barbara Mandrell and Taylor Swift in that exclusive club.

She took home three awards at the 2025 CMA Awards in November – including Album of the Year for Whirlwind, making her just the second female artist ever to win that category twice.¹

Wilson won Female Vocalist of the Year for the fourth consecutive year and hosted the entire show by herself.²

"Thank you Jesus. Thank you Mama, Daddy and Duck," Wilson said during her Entertainer of the Year acceptance speech, wearing camouflage bellbottoms.³

The Louisiana native's Whirlwind album dropped in August 2024 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album at the 2025 Grammys.

Her single "4x4xU" became a top five hit on Billboard Country Airplay while she was busy selling out venues across America, Australia, and Europe on her international tour.

Wilson opened Bell Bottoms Up, her three-story bar, Cajun restaurant, and music venue in downtown Nashville in May 2024.

She also landed her first major motion picture role in Reminders of Him, a film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's novel set to release in 2026.

One personal milestone topped everything else

For all the professional victories, Wilson made clear what mattered most.

Former NFL quarterback Devlin "Duck" Hodges proposed to Wilson in February 2025 at the George Jones estate in Franklin, Tennessee.

"4x4xU forever," Wilson captioned her engagement announcement on Instagram, referencing one of her hit songs.⁴

Wilson revealed she had a hunch Hodges was going to propose that day.

"I had talked myself into thinking he was going to do it that day. I called my sister and said, 'I think he's going to propose to me today,'" Wilson explained.⁵

The couple had been wanting to visit the George Jones estate for a while when Hodges suggested they stop by after returning from the Super Bowl.

"As we pull up, I realized there were different plans. He had it all set up. He had the candles and the picture frames. It could not have been more perfect," Wilson said.⁶

Wilson admitted she initially lied to Hodges about having the nickname "Goose" on their first date to match his "Duck" nickname.

The couple met through mutual friends in Nashville in 2021 and kept their relationship private for over two years before going public at the 2023 ACM Awards.

Wilson and Hodges walked the red carpet together at the 2025 CMA Awards, with Wilson wearing a black sequin ensemble with her signature bell bottoms while Hodges wore a black-and-white suit.

When Wilson posted her year-in-review on Instagram, family photos with her nephews ranked among her top moments despite all the awards and achievements.

"Camera roll crumbs from 2024. So much has happened this year that I can't pick favorites but if I had to, these moments would be near the top," Wilson wrote, highlighting time spent with loved ones.⁷

Wilson explained what drives her success

In a lengthy Instagram post reflecting on 2025, Wilson revealed what keeps her going through the whirlwind.

"I feel like every time I looked up in 2025 I was reminded of my 'why?' My 'why' is to try to tell the truth in a way that lets you recognize your own story," Wilson wrote.⁸

Wilson explained her music goes beyond just performing.

"Music ain't just something I do. It's how I try to make sense of the world… and since I have yet to make complete sense of the world, I guess I'll be doing this til the day I can't," Wilson added.⁹

The country star summed up her massive year with characteristic humor.

"We bent it over our knee and wore its little a** out," Wilson said about tackling 2025.¹⁰

Wilson told People magazine that staying grounded remains essential despite her skyrocketing fame.

"Making sure that I feel like Lainey: the sister, the friend, daughter, aunt, and dog mom and all of those things. As long as I can do that, I can be the best version of the artist that I try to be," Wilson explained.¹¹

The Bell Bottom Country singer from tiny Baskin, Louisiana (population 250) spent over a decade grinding before breaking through.

Wilson lived in a camper trailer next to a Nashville recording studio after moving to Music City in 2011, with the studio owner covering her electricity and water bills.

Her breakthrough came when her songs started getting featured on Yellowstone in 2019, leading to widespread popularity.

Now Wilson's competing with Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs, and Chris Stapleton – and winning.

The 33-year-old has become country music's hardest-working artist while maintaining the authenticity that got her here.

Wilson and Hodges are planning a "simple" wedding, though she admitted they haven't started planning yet because of her packed schedule.

For fans wondering what's next, Wilson made her intentions clear.

"Here is to another year of learning that momentum is a gift and not guaranteed. That when dreams move faster than you do, stay rooted and let the Lord carry you," Wilson wrote.¹²

Lainey Wilson proved you don't have to sacrifice who you are to reach the top of country music.

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¹ NBC News, "Lainey Wilson wins entertainer of the year at 2025 CMA Awards," November 21, 2025.

² Ibid.

³ Taste of Country, "Lainey Wilson Named Entertainer of the Year at 2025 CMA Awards," November 20, 2025.

⁴ Billboard, "Lainey Wilson & Devlin 'Duck' Hodges Are Engaged," February 13, 2025.

⁵ Taste of Country, "Lainey Wilson Dishes on Her Engagement Story — and Wedding Plans?," April 11, 2025.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ 92.5 XTU, "Lainey Wilson's 2024 Highlights Focus on Family," January 3, 2025.

⁸ Whiskey Riff, "Lainey Wilson Recaps Her MASSIVE Year In The Most Lainey Way Possible: 'We Bent It Over Our Knee,'" December 30, 2025.

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ Ibid.

¹¹ 92.5 XTU, "Lainey Wilson's 2024 Highlights Focus on Family," January 3, 2025.

¹² Whiskey Riff, "Lainey Wilson Recaps Her MASSIVE Year In The Most Lainey Way Possible: 'We Bent It Over Our Knee,'" December 30, 2025.