What you need to know
Rainie Wilson is already planning her next performance as host of the CMA Awards.
On Wednesday, Nov. 19, the “Watermelon Moonshine” singer, 33, appeared on Rolling Stone’s “Nashville Now” podcast and opened up about becoming the first woman to host the awards show alone since Reba McEntire in 1991.
“I looked into it and I didn’t think it was going to happen. I let Reba know I was doing this and she was so excited,” said Wilson, 33. “It’s been a while since a woman did a solo career. I’m glad they trust me. I like to gag and I love country music.”
With just a few weeks until the show, the “Hang Tight Honey” singer will be rehearsing soon. Her only request is that the jokes not be limited.
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“It would be nice if I could make fun of people,” she said. “I tried to get them to do it last year, and they were like, ‘Hey, hey, hey…that’s too much.’ But I keep coming back with these guys. Let me make fun of Luke Combs.”
Last year, Wilson co-hosted with Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning. The previous year, the “Crash My Party” singer and the retired NFL star performed together as a duo. When asked how CMA producer Robert Deaton broke the news that she was the only one this time, she had no idea.
“I don’t have any clue, but I don’t think Luke is mad at me because I’ve talked to him since then,” she said.
“Honestly, he would have been happy to get a year off, and Peyton, too, because they’ve been doing that for a while…I think they make me happy because they’re very genuine people, and I really do,” she said.
On September 30, the Country Music Association announced that she would be reprising the role for a solo performance.
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“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like the Super Bowl, so it’s a real honor to host it for the second year,” Wilson said.
The “Out of Oklahoma” singer further added, “I’m humbled that CMA trusted me with this role and can’t wait to fall in love with this genre that has given me so much.”
Wilson released her latest album Whirlwind in 2024 and a deluxe version in August this year, with Ella Langley and Megan Moloney receiving the most nominations at the ceremony, each winning six times.
The 59th Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 19th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm ET on ABC and streamed the following day on Hulu.
