No hiding that.
Lainey Wilson is one of the biggest superstars in country music, so I can’t imagine what it’s like for her trying to go about everyday life. I’ve always thought it would be pretty terrible to not be able to leave your house without being recognized, have fans coming up to you all the time, and of course deal with the crazy people who are out there too. It definitely has to take some getting used to.
Surprisingly though, despite being a two-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and Grammy award winner, Lainey can still manage to go incognito in public – at least until she opens her mouth to talk.
During a recent interview with People, Lainey spoke about her life as she’s gone from a small town girl from Louisiana to one of the most recognizable names in country music:
“Even 15 years in Nashville could not prepare me for the way my career exploded. I mean, this is all I could have ever wanted and more.”
Despite the fame, Lainey says she can still go undercover “pretty easily,” but it’s her distinctive voice and thick southern accent that always gives her away:
“I could be at Walgreens or Walmart, and as soon as I’m checking out at the counter, the cashier will kind of look at me weird. There’s no hiding the voice.”
Luckily for Lainey, in Nashville there’s an unspoken rule among locals to leave celebrities alone when you see them going on about their lives out in public. It’s not exactly uncommon to see country stars at the grocery star, or the mall, or even your local bar, but for the most part people in Nashville are pretty good about just letting them go on about their lives. (Obviously it’s different on Broadway, which is full of tourists who are here on the lookout for country stars).
And we’ve seen other examples of celebrities out in public who were able to go unrecognized: Eric Church even recently proved that he can go incognito at his own show just by changing up his signature look (and removing his sunglasses).
@ericchurch Chief went undercover in Grand Rapids… would you have recognized him?
Let’s face it: People aren’t always as observant as they think they are, so when you’re not expecting to see Lainey Wilson next to you buying toothpaste at Walgreens, you might not even realize it’s her.
Obviously there’s no way to get around having to deal with some of the changes that come with fame. Gone are the days when Lainey could just go have a normal girl’s night at Tootsie’s – especially now that she has her own bar named after her just a few blocks away.
And Lainey admits that her date nights with her fiancée Duck Hodges, who’s a celebrity in his own right as a former quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, usually consist of hanging out at home with their dogs and drinking an old fashioned while Duck mans the grill. (Sounds kinda perfect, honestly).
But it sounds like she’s still able to get out and about without too much trouble. At least until it comes time to talk to somebody…
