On Nov. 19, the CMA Award for Female Vocalist of The Year was awarded to Lainey Wilson, with Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, and Megan Moroney nominated.
Five Artists Were Nominated For Female Vocalist Of The Year
At the 2025 Country Music Association Awards, the competition was steep for Female Vocalist of the Year.
Bringing together newcomers as well as some familiar voices, this category sees five women of country music nominated.
The nominees are Kelsea Ballerini, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson.
For Kelsea Ballerini, whose album Patterns was released in 2024, this is her seventh nomination for Female Vocalist of the Year, and it could become her first win in this category.
Miranda Lambert has previously won Female Vocalist of the Year seven times — six of those wins were consecutive, from 2010-2015, with an additional win in 2017. This is her 18th nomination for Female Vocalist of The Year.
Notably, Lambert’s nomination this year has allowed her to tie with Reba McEntire for most nominations in the category of Female Vocalist of the Year.
Nominated for the first time in this category is Ella Langley. Her 2024 debut album, Hungover, brought about her first CMA nomination and win last year, winning Musical Event of the Year with Riley Green for their duet, “You Look Like You Love Me.”
Earlier in the evening of the 59th CMA Awards, “You Look Like You Love Me” won Single of the Year and Song of the Year.
Receiving her second nomination as Female Vocalist of the Year is Megan Moroney, who was first nominated in this category last year. Her second album, Am I Okay?, helped bring her to her first nomination in this category, as well as her 2024 CMA win for New Artist of The Year.
Standing to win her fourth Female Vocalist of the Year Award in a row is Lainey Wilson, who has won this award from 2022-2024. This is her fourth nomination in this category, and she won Album of the Year earlier in the evening.
The 2025 CMA Awards were held on November 19, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hosted by Lainey Wilson, who was also nominated in three categories, including Female Vocalist of The Year, the award for Female Vocalist of the Year was presented by Lady A.
“Country music has been blessed with legendary female vocalists,” said Hillary Scott, of Lady A, before listing the likes of Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette.
The award went to Lainey Wilson, for her fourth win. Now, having won this award for the fourth year in a row, she joins Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert as the only artists to win this award four years in a row.
Accepting the award, Lainey thanked Jesus and then said, “I’m so proud to be in this category with these women.”
She mentioned how so many of the fellow nominees, as well as other women in country music, have lifted her up in prayer.
However, she also had a message for those who seek to tear her and other women down, saying, “And for the folks that are sittin’ at home in your momma’s basement eatin’ your Cheetos, trying to pit women against one another, y’all need to find somethin’ better to do.”
Watch her full acceptance speech, here:
Watch the music video for Lainey Wilson’s “Somewhere Over Laredo,” here:
About the Author
Grant Bromley
Howdy, I’m Grant, a multimedia storyteller and lover of the arts. Whether it’s Copland’s ballet Rodeo or Peckinpah’s iconic Western Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, I have an appreciation for works that engage with the American mythos. Covering news, I help tell the stories that define our shared tomorrow.
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