NEED TO KNOW
- Lainey Wilson won the entertainer of the year award at the 2025 ACM Awards on May 9, a year after winning the award at the 2024 ceremony
- In her acceptance speech, the “4x4xU” singer thanked her fellow nominees and apologized because she likes to “make you cry”
- She also admitted to having “a little bit” of imposter syndrome in the speech
- Wilson was nominated for six total ACM awards, and won four: entertainer of the year, female artist of the year, album of the year and artist-songwriter of the year
Lainey Wilson won entertainer of the year at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards once again!
On Thursday, May 8, the country star, 32, took home the honor during the ceremony in Frisco, Texas at Ford Center at the Star. She beat out Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen to win the honor — which she also won last year.
“Thank you so much,” Wilson began after accepting the award from presenter Blake Shelton. “I love every single one of y’all in this category, and y’all have taken me under y’all’s wings and took me out on the road with you, asked me to be on songs, supported me in every way that you possibly can.”
The “4x4xU” musician continued, “I will tell you this: I’m sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won’t lie to you. I have a little bit. But I read something not long ago that that just said, ‘If something is given to you, then you need to accept it with an open heart and an open mind.’ And I just appreciate it.”
“I really do have the best fans in the world,” Wilson continued, recalling a sweet childhood memory that foreshadowed her country stardom.
“I remember I was thinking about it earlier this morning — I was just trying to like wrap my head around today — and I remember, my parents had this old hunting spotlight that we used to take off the charger all the time,” she said. “And my sister would turn all the lights off in the house and she would shine the spotlight on me as I was running back and forth across the living room. I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I’m sorry, I like to make you cry, because I love to feel things.”
“Everybody loves to feel things. And country music has given me more than I deserve,” Wilson continued. “And I appreciate everybody in this room. My heart is so full. Thank you so much. God bless every single one of y’all. I don’t even know what else to say.”
Wilson was nominated for six ACM Awards this year, including entertainer of the year, female artist of the year, album of the year song of the year for “4x4xU” of the year, visual media of the year for “4x4xU” and artist-songwriter of the year.
In addition to entertainer of the year, she won female artist of the year, album of the year for 2024’s Whirlwind and artist-songwriter of the year.
Last year, Wilson also took home the coveted entertainer of the year honor, beating out a similar group of nominees: Combs, Jelly, Johnson, Stapleton, Wallen and Kane Brown.
“I remember being a little girl and I would climb out on the top of our roof. I’d open my window and climb out and I would count all the stars,” she said in her speech. “I would look up and I’d see the planes flying over my little town of 200 people, and I’d dream about being up there in one of those planes.”
Added Wilson: “And the funny thing is, I still feel like that little girl. I really do. I still climb out on the roof and I look at the stars, except I feel like I’m a little more eye level with them now.”
Check out all of PEOPLE’s full ACM Awards coverage here.
She then shared her gratitude for her fans and praised the other nominees. “Everybody in this category has loved me… took me on the road, sang songs with me, wrote with me, encouraged me every step of the way. And I love y’all for that,” said Wilson.
At this year’s ceremony, breakout star Ella Langley led the nominations with eight in total. Wallen, Wilson and Johnson each earned seven nods each, while Stapleton earned six nominations.
Among the stars presenting at the ceremony are Shelton, Carly Pearce, Clint Black, Crystal Gayle, ERNEST, Gabby Barrett, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Ann Womack, Jordan Davis and Lionel Richie.
Other presenters include Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Rita Wilson, Sara Evans, Sugarland, the Oak Ridge Boys, Wynonna Judd, Chase Elliott, Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton.
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The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, streamed live on Prime Video from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
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