Amazing Before and After Photos of Country Star Lainey Wilson's Recent Weight Loss
Known for her smooth vocals, "Watermelon Moonshine" singer Lainey Wilson has gained attention over the last year, not only for sweeping the country music awards circuit for her musical prowess, but for also celebrating her curvaceous figure — and we are here for it! While she has reportedly dropped 70 pounds, Lainey Wilson still embraces every curve and encourages others to love themselves just as they are and "flaunt it."
Here we take a look at Lainey Wilson's rise to fame and how she's becoming an amazing icon of body-positivity — at any weight!
Lainey Wilson taking Nashville by storm
The 31-year-old songstress hails from Baskin, Louisiana and has been grinding away in Nashville for over a decade to get to the place she's in today. After graduating from high school, Wilson made the move to Music City in pursuit of her dreams, however, the journey wasn't an easy one. Living in a camper outside of a recording studio, she put in the work to get to where she is today.
“I would walk up and down Music Row in Nashville and pass out my demos and my CDs,” Wilson told PEOPLE. “I had a lot of folks slam the door in my face. There were some hard times, there were some rough days, times when I should have probably packed it up and went home, hooked the trailer to the back of the truck and said, ‘I can’t do this.’ But I’ve always had a really weird sense of peace knowing that this is the only thing I know how to do.”
Today, it's clear that the struggle has paid off. The singer just starred in the most recent season of Yellowstone as Abby, and at the 2023 Country Music Awards that took place on November 8, Lainey took home five CMA Awards: Entertainer of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year, Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
Lainey Wilson sets the record straight on her recent weight loss
As Lainey rose to fame, so did the commentary on her body. Over the years, her weight has fluctuated, however Lainey Wilson has been quick to say that she's never turned to aids such as gummies for weight loss. In a video posted to her Instagram, she addressed a series of weight loss gummy ads that appeared to use her to sell their product.
"Alright y’all, by now I’m sure a lot y’all have seen some ads about me losing weight, being hospitalized and then I started taking some weight loss gummies and blah blah blah that saved my life. Well surprise, it ain’t true,” Wilson she declared in the video. ”People will do whatever to make a dollar, even if it is lies. Cause ain’t nobody sent me any gummies.”
She continued, "If I have lost weight, it's because I am working hard and playing hour and a half shows and running around every night of my life," she said. "And to be honest me losing weight or gaining weight ain't got anything to do with my music."
Lainey's foodie secret
Lainey dished to Delish that touring has helped her expand her palette, as her band and crew are what she calls a "bunch of foodies." But in terms of staying on a healthy diet — which can be difficult on the road — Lainey uses a common method.
"I really do enjoy meal prepping and having things handy, because I feel like when you don't have those things handy, that's when you mess up and that's when you eat something that makes you feel bad," she said. “It's really hard to make sure that you're disciplined enough to do that. I try my best that I possibly can."
Scrambled eggs, yogurts and salads, proteins like grilled chicken or shrimp and sushi are some of her go-to's according to Delish. However, Lainey believes in enjoying herself, splurging on a little chocolate or candy each day, and enjoying a slice of pizza after a show now and then.
Lainey is rolling with the punches…with a special role-model
With her popularity rising, conversations across the internet began around Lainey's body, particularly, her curvy figure. Luckily, Lainey doesn't take the comments too seriously, even approaching the topic with a bit of humor. “I’m like you know what? At the end of the day, if [my body] is what brought people to my music and they stuck around because of it then to hell with it,” she told KMLE Country 107.9. “Now, I mean it’s a little weird in the beginning like being sexualized, but also I’m like I’ve worked my fingers to the bone. I’ve been in Nashville for 12 years and I’m not gonna let it slow me down.”
Furthermore, she looked to one of her idols who has also spent a large chunk of her career being scrutinized for her figure. "You know at the end of the day, we were talking about Dolly [Parton]. I mean, she flaunts it, she’s proud of it!"
Lainey even decided to celebrate her curves in song! Teaming up with fellow country music star Lauren Alaina, the duo had a bit of fun with a recent duet titled "Thicc As Thieves," a play on words that celebrates both their close friendship and their curvy figures!
"We're thicker than our accents, thicker than our hair / Thicker than the Georgia and Louisiana air / Thicker than molasses from the patches to the seams / Stealin' hearts is in our jeans / Us southern girls, we're thick as thieves, we're thick as thieves / We're thick as thieves, we're thick as thieves," sing the duo.
Showing off her assets in bell bottoms
Another way she proudly accentuates her figure is with her signature uniform of funky bell-bottom pants — a style so influential, her 2022 album is titled Bell Bottom Country.
"I remember my very first pair of bell bottoms. They were blue leopard print. My mama bought 'em. And it got to the point where I was wearing 'em so much, she was like, 'You gotta take 'em off. We gotta put 'em in the washer,'" she shared with Variety.
Wilson continues, "I was really trying to figure out what could I do to stand apart from the rest of the females in Nashville, because it’s very important to do that. And what is something that is really true to me? And for me it was whole bell bottom throwback look. And I’m glad we did. I mean, we’ve been doing it now for probably about six years solid. Probably 2016 is when I decided, all right, if I’m gonna do this, I need to wear bell bottoms and need to wear my vintage shirts and stuff like that, daily. It was about a year before I ended up getting a publishing deal and I just stuck with it."
Staying true to her style
While the masses may have hopped off the bell-bottom train for a bit, Lainey was the exception. "I don’t know why they ever went out of style. Actually, a lot of my older skinny jeans that I had, I sent ’em home to my grandma, my granny, and she sewed fabric into the sides of ‘em and made ’em into bell bottoms," Wilson told Variety.
She continued, "I know when I first started wearing bell bottoms, there were a few people back at home who were like, 'Why are you wearing those britches? Like, come on now.' But I didn’t let it stop me. I said, 'No, I’m gonna stand out, even if it makes me look a little goofy for a minute.'"
If there is one thing we can learn from Lainey Wilson, it's the power of loving the skin you're in, weight loss or no weight loss, and not changing for anyone!
For more celebrity weight loss stories, read below:
Sharon Osbourne on Her Ozempic Weight Loss: “I Didn’t Actually Want To Go This Thin”
‘1000-Lb. Sisters’ Star Tammy Slaton Weight Loss Update: Dramatic Before and After Pics
Chrissy Metz On Weight Loss: “It’s Not Really About The Food…Ever”
Celebrity Weight Loss: 15 Transformations You Have to See to Believe!
