Lainey Wilson admits that her fast-rising success comes with unexpected pressure — not just to keep delivering hits, but to help support the dozens of families who now depend on her thriving career.

Wilson opened up on Taste of Country Nights about the pressure she feels daily of being the supporter of her growing entourage, and making sure they can provide for their families.

The 2025 CMA Awards host said, “There’s a lot of pressure around that. We went from five people in our crew a year and a half ago to 60. So I’m helping 60 families, ya know — that’s a lot of pressure.”

Wilson explains that her career is bigger than herself at this point. She leads a large crew that depends on her to support their families if she isn’t at the top of her game.

The “Somewhere Over Laredo” singer says, “I gotta be able to show up my best self and be rested and feel good and be mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally OK.”

Those 60 people rely on her continued success to feed their families and keep the lights on at home.

That’s a tremendous amount of pressure — yet Wilson manages it with grace and poise every day, a quality that has undoubtedly contributed to her success and global appeal.

Wilson will not only host the 2025 CMA awards on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, she is nominated for 6 awards this year, including Entertainer of the Year.

Where Will the 2025 CMA Awards Take Place?

The 59th CMA Awards this year are in Nashville, Tennessee. They will take place at the Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.