One week away from the GRAMMYs and first-time nominee, Lainey Wilson, has stars in her eyes.

“My heart just started, whew!” Lainey said after being reminded the GRAMMYs are only a week away. “I didn’t realize it’s so close, but I’m so excited. This is my first time to the GRAMMYs and it’s a huge deal.”

“I’m going to be in a building with people from so many different walks of life and so many different stories and just a lot of hard work in the building… I normally don’t get starstruck, but I’m not gunna lie, if I see Adele or even Bruno Mars… I’ll probably be like, ‘How in the world is this little redneck in a room with these folks?’ It’s gonna be awesome.”

Up for two awards herself, it’s not lost on Lainey that her own hard work is finally getting the recognition it deserves after years of sacrifice and staying the course. “I knew there were a lot of folks back home who just thought I was absolutely crazy, and they were wondering when I was going to pack it up and come back home,” she said of staying the path to living out her Country music dream.

“But I have always had this sense of peace in knowing that I was given this gift and I’m supposed to use it. I’m just so thankful that I stuck in there and I’m thankful I’ve had people in my life who have encouraged me to stick it out.”

While her parents remain her biggest supports, Wilson has gained many more cheerleaders along the way, including Miranda Lambert, who Wilson says watches out for her on a regular basis. “She’s become a dear friend of mine and she checks on me,” Lainey said of Lambert’s friendship. “She’s just a genuine person, what you see is what you get with her, and I can’t help but love people like that.”

She continued on to share a story of visiting Lambert’s farm for a writing session and Miranda forcing her to take a nap. “She said, ‘You need to come out to my farm, and first off, you need to take a nap,’ She said’ I’m gonna make you take a nap.’ And I did,” Lainey laughed.

Following the much-needed nap, Wilson, Lambert and songwriter Luke Dick went on to write, “Good Horses,” a song Wilson debuted at a show alongside Lambert and is excited to share with fans in the future.

“We were writing this song and they [Luke and Miranda] were in the exact same spot where they wrote [the song] ‘Bluebird.’ As we were writing this song, ‘Good Horses,’ three bluebirds flew up,” she shared. “And when they were writing ‘Bluebird,’ three bluebirds had flew up too and I believe in signs like that. I think it’s a really special song.”

As Lainey looks to the future of her music with songs like, “Good Horses,” and celebrates past releases with her two GRAMMY nominations for Best Country Album (Bell Bottom Country) and Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Save Me” with Jelly Roll), Lainey says no matter what, she will always stay true to who she is.

“I will always stay true to myself and my roots and where I come from. I am who I am because of the people and place that raised me.”

Hear more from Lainey about the GRAMMYs, new music, and tour by checking out her full conversation with Audacy’ Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal