Lainey Wilson: The breakout star at 56th Annual CMA Awards

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Lainey Wilson

If there was a breakout star at the 56th Annual CMA Awards last night (11/9), it was Lainey Wilson.

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Lainey Wilson

Lainey went into the show with six nominations, her first CMA nods in her career

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Lainey Wilson

and she won both the New Artist of the Year award and the Female Vocalist Award.

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Lainey Wilson

Wilson had some tough competition in the Female Vocalist category

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Lainey Wilson

The other nominees were Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Ashley McBryde, and last year’s winner Carly Pearce.

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Lainey Wilson

When she won, she was shocked and speechless when she got to the podium

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Lainey Wilson

but as she told us backstage after her win, she wasn’t the only nominee happy about her win.

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Lainey Wilson

“I think they’re really happy for me. I mean, Miranda (Lambert) just came over, and Ashley (McBryde) too, and they have tears in their eyes. They are just as excited for me as I would have been for them.”

Lainey Wilson

“It’s something really special, and no, in a million years expected it, but I’ll take it. I’ve been here a long time working hard, and they (her fellow nominees) know that about me too, and I think they’re really happy for me.”

Alan Jackson deserves the CMAs lifetime achievement award