Wilson spoke with ET on Thursday ahead of CMA Fest at Nissan Stadium.
Like most of the world, Lainey Wilson absolutely adores Jelly Roll. The country crooner recently collaborated with him for a live performance of his song "Save Me" at the 2023 ACM Awards, and she has nothing but praise for the celebrated artist.
"Ooh, I love me some Jelly Roll," Wilson exclaimed while speaking with ET's Kevin Frazier and Rachel Smith at Nissan Stadium in Tennessee on Thursday, ahead of this year's CMA Fest, which she's hosting.
Reflecting on her appreciation for the singer, Wilson explained, "He's got a story to tell, and I'm so thankful that he is in country music."
"I mean, that's what it's about," she added excitedly. "It's about the storytelling, and dang it, has he got a story."
Fans can hear more of Jelly Roll's latest foray into country fare with his new album, Whitsitt Chapel.
Meanwhile, Wilson is also excited to be hosting CMA Fest -- an event that has meant a lot to her ever since she first attended as a fan when she was a teenager.
"[I was] 14 years old, I was watching Martina McBride, and she was singing broken wing, and I mean, my mouth was just hitting the ground," the "Watermelon Moonshine" singer recalled. "It was a moment that I'll never forget. And I knew in that moment that one day, I was gonna be up there. I didn't know how, but I knew it."
Now, she's up there not just performing but hosting the whole shebang, and Wilson admitted that the reality of the situation is "humbling."
"I'm feeling all the feelings. Even when I just like came in here today, I'm like, 'Oh, my gosh, here we are, like 16 years later,'" she shared. "I had stars in my eyes then, and that feeling has not gone away."
"It is going to be cool to be up there singing and think about those little boys and girls sitting in all the seats that I sat in. Dreams do come true," added Wilson, who is currently on tour.
There will be a new documentary, CMA Fest: 50 Years OF Fan Fair, premiering July 5th on Hulu, and a special broadcast of CMA Fest airs July 19th on ABC.
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