Lainey Wilson: “I Felt Like A Complete Outsider Moving To Nashville To Chase My Dreams” | Guy Raz
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode covers Lainey Wilson's decade-long journey to country music stardom, challenging the myth of overnight success.
There are four key takeaways from this conversation. First, overnight success is a myth; a record deal marks the beginning of intensified work, not the end of financial struggle. Second, relentless perseverance and embracing rejection are crucial for growth, providing the life experience needed for authentic artistry. Third, developing a core creative practice, like songwriting, offers therapeutic value and sustains emotional well-being during prolonged difficulty. Fourth, cultivating a unique brand and building a fanbase one person at a time is vital, especially when industry support is absent.
Lainey Wilson's journey spanned a decade of hardship, loneliness, and rejection in Nashville. She recounts having only $26 in her bank account even after her first number one single hit, highlighting the stark contrast between public perception of success and the financial reality. A record deal, she emphasizes, signifies the start of more intense work, not an instant solution.
Wilson endured years of living in a camper and facing constant "no's" from labels. She firmly believes these struggles were essential, allowing her to live enough life to tell the authentic stories her music is known for today. This period of hardship served as a necessary preparation, not a definitive failure.
Songwriting served as Wilson's "saving grace," a therapeutic outlet and a tool for developing empathy. It was the one thing that sustained her emotionally and creatively through the toughest years, acting as an emotional escape and a way to build connections through storytelling.
In the absence of early industry support, Wilson adopted a "one fan at a time" mentality, connecting with audiences through live performances. She also developed her unique musical identity, "Bell Bottom Country," blending her authentic story with country, rock, and hippie influences to stand out in the music scene.
Lainey Wilson's journey offers a powerful reminder that true success often stems from prolonged struggle, persistent artistry, and a clear vision.
Episode Overview
- Lainey Wilson dismantles the myth of overnight success in the music industry, sharing her decade-long journey of financial hardship, loneliness, and rejection in Nashville.
- The conversation explores the stark contrast between the public perception of signing a record deal and the reality of still struggling to pay bills, even after a number one single.
- Wilson emphasizes the critical role of perseverance, a grassroots "one fan at a time" mentality, and a strong work ethic inherited from her family's farming background.
- She discusses how songwriting served as her "saving grace"—a therapeutic outlet and a tool for developing empathy that sustained her through the toughest years.
- The episode also covers the development of her unique musical identity, "Bell Bottom Country," which blends her authentic story with country, rock, and hippie influences.
Key Concepts
- Perception vs. Reality of Success: The podcast highlights the significant gap between the industry milestone of signing a record deal and achieving actual financial stability. Wilson's experience shows that a contract is not an instant solution but the start of more intense work.
- Perseverance Through Rejection: A core theme is the resilience required to endure years of struggle. This includes living in a camper, facing constant "no's" from labels, and maintaining self-belief when external validation is scarce.
- Songwriting as a Foundational Practice: Wilson describes songwriting not just as a craft, but as a form of therapy, an emotional escape, and a way to build empathy by telling others' stories, which was crucial for her personal and artistic survival.
- The Necessity of the Journey: Wilson expresses a firm belief that her years of hardship were essential for her growth, allowing her to live enough life to tell the authentic stories her music is known for today.
- Building a Grassroots Fanbase: In the absence of early industry support, Wilson adopted a "one fan at a time" mentality, focusing on connecting with audiences through live performances to slowly build a loyal following.
- Defining a Unique Brand: The creation of the term "Bell Bottom Country" is discussed as a way to encapsulate her distinct blend of sound, style, and personal narrative, setting her apart in the music scene.
Quotes
- At 0:01 - "I had a lot of really lonely moments while I was living in my camper. I felt like a complete outsider." - Lainey Wilson describes the isolation she experienced after moving to Nashville to pursue her music career.
- At 0:50 - "I believe it was $26 in my bank account." - Wilson reveals her dire financial situation at the time her song "Things A Man Oughta Know" went to number one, underscoring the gap between professional success and financial stability.
- At 1:04 - "we're just out here trying to pay our bills just like everybody else." - She emphasizes that even after signing a deal, the financial struggle was still very real and relatable.
- At 20:17 - "It was my saving grace." - Wilson emphasizes how songwriting was the one thing that sustained her emotionally and creatively while she was struggling to find her footing in the music industry.
- At 22:58 - "The truth is, I was nowhere near ready. I had not lived enough life at the time to tell the kind of stories that I was supposed to tell. And I'm a very firm believer in that... I was supposed to go through some stuff." - Wilson explains her belief that the years of rejection were necessary for her personal and artistic growth.
- At 25:48 - "Okay, one fan at a time." - Wilson shares the mentality she adopted when she wasn't getting industry attention, focusing on building her audience grassroots style through live shows.
- At 31:39 - "I knew that when I signed my name on that dotted line, that that's truly when the hard work began." - Wilson clarifies that getting a record deal was not the culmination of her journey, but the start of a new, more demanding phase of her career.
- At 39:47 - "Bell Bottom Country is something that we came up with... to describe my look, my sound, kind of all of it... It's country with a flare." - Wilson defines her signature genre, explaining it as a term that encompasses her unique style, sound, and personal story.
Takeaways
- Reframe rejection as a period of necessary preparation rather than a definitive failure; the struggles you endure can provide the life experience needed for future success.
- Shift your focus from seeking major industry validation to what you can control, such as honing your craft and building a genuine audience one person at a time.
- Understand that major milestones, like signing a contract, are often the starting line for the real work, not the finish line for your struggles.
- Cultivate a core creative practice that can double as a therapeutic outlet to maintain your mental and emotional well-being during long periods of difficulty.
