Lainey Wilson moves like a rock star, wails like Jennifer Nettles and testifies like a preacher.
That’s why she’s one of the biggest stars in the business right now.
At a sold-out concert at Battery Park Thursday night, country’s reigning female vocalist said she had done so many gigs recently she was afraid her voice might not hold up.
Fat chance. Wilson stepped out with “Hold My Halo” and never let up.
Lainey Wilson performs at Battery Park beside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Sioux City, Iowa.
Like many of her fans, the 31-year-old wore her signature hat (in what looked like Tiffany blue) and a black skintight Elvis-like outfit that made her seem like another lighting effect. Banks of lights behind her flashed repeatedly -- which made it difficult to see, well, what was going on. Luckily, Wilson worked her rhinestones and managed to tell enough of her origins story to please a Marvel Comics executive.
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Those songs -- from “Road Runner” to “Smell Like Smoke” to “Watermelon Moonshine” -- painted a clear picture of independence. Before “Atta Girl,” she talked about the young girls who copy her look and flock to her concerts. Anything is possible, she said, don’t let others hold you back.
In many ways, that’s her story in a nutshell. Heading to Nashville at an early age, she didn’t give up, even though big labels weren’t cracking their doors to her music. A series of EPs, however, provided a way in. And then it was just a matter of time before something clicked.. Her “Things a Man Oughta Know” reached No. 1 in 2021 and, well, she hasn’t had to look back since.
What’s so refreshing about Wilson is her determination. Rather than float through the hits (like her truck songs), she sells everything and offers context throughout. Dolly Parton, a role model, got proper thanks with “What Would Dolly Do”; the 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” demonstrated she could cross over to pop without much struggle.
Lainey Wilson performs at Battery Park Thursday night.
Lainey Wilson performs at Battery Park.
Wilson, though, is a country girl, blessed with a Louisiana drawl that doesn’t always translate. Her singing, however, cuts through everything and shows why she is as big as she is.
Kaitlin Butts, her opening act, has the same kind of determination and tunnel vision. While she’s a bit twangier -- and more traditional -- she isn’t afraid to put a Miranda Lambert twist on a ‘60s country sound. She’s a crowd-pleaser, too, (not unlike Reba McEntire) who gets audiences to learn the lyrics to songs they’ve never heard. At Thursday’s concert, she had several of those “break free” songs that Wilson embraces, but she also had her own take on life. “We’re All Gonna Die,” “Jackson” and “In the Pines” distinguished her in a way that could set her up for big, big things.
Wilson, though, owns the audience now. She’s fresh, she’s exciting and, best of all, she’s not afraid to put everything on stage. Siouxland audiences got an unbelievable first impression.