Take 5 with country music superstar Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson is a force of nature.

Raised in the tiny farming town of Baskin, Louisiana (population 170) she grew up between corn fields and country radio, where music wasn't a genre but a way of life. From writing her first song at nine years old to hauling a camper trailer to Nashville at 19, her path to becoming one of country music's biggest stars was anything but overnight. It took a decade of hustle, a Hannah Montana wig, and an unshakable belief that if she could just get one opportunity, she could do the rest.

Now she's selling out arenas across the world, winning back-to-back CMA Entertainer of the Year awards, starring in Yellowstone, and counting Dolly Parton as a friend who called her "sister." Through it all, her southern charm and small-town values remain her compass; ride horses, sit on the front porch with your dogs, and never forget who you are.

This episode was filmed for Season 5 of Take 5 with Zan Rowe. Lainey was warm, funny, and generous in sharing her extraordinary journey across five songs. The theme that emerged was clear: staying grounded is a choice you make every day, and being yourself is the bravest thing you can do.

Lainey Wilson's song choices:

Mel McDaniel - 'Louisiana Saturday Night'

Lee Ann Womack - 'I Hope You Dance'

CCR - 'Lookin' Out My Back Door'

Brothers Osborne - 'I'm Not For Everyone'

Tim McGraw - 'Humble and Kind'

00:00 If Dolly Parton Believes in Me, Then I'm Fine

00:24 From Yellowstone to CMA Entertainer of the Year: "Cowgirl of the Night"