Miranda Lambert Talks Supporting Other Women In Country Music

The 58th Academy of Country Music Awards are fast approaching. Set for Thursday, May 11, Miranda Lambert – the most-awarded artist in ACM history – has received her record-breaking 17th ‘Female Artist of the Year’ nomination (passing Reba McEntire with 16).

Another milestone, this year sees at least one woman is nominated in Every Eligible Main Awards Category. Additionally, for the second time in ACM history, three albums released by all-female acts have been nominated for ‘Album of the Year’ in the same year.

Lambert spoke about being nominated for 2022’s Palomino, “The conversation of women in country is always a conversation. Sometimes I feel like it gets too much heat and it’s unjust and sometimes I feel like it needs more heat, but what we do is lift each other up. We know the grind we have to go through to get where we’re going. … I love friendly competition though. I love when girls are kicking ass. Makes me want to kick ass.”

She also noted how much everyone in the category deserves to be nominated.

“I love getting to write songs with women and I love champions like Luke [Dick] that appreciate what we have to offer and a lot of the amazing male artists that have taken us under their wing all this time and champion the females,” she said. “I really think it should be a big family with a little bit of, ‘I can kick ass too.’ Anybody that pours into a record, I want them to be lifted up. They deserve to be nominated. All the songwriters. And this is just our story.”

“Everybody in this town has stories like this,” she continued. “But everybody has their story and their way that they do things and I’m glad there’s a platform like award shows… All the rest of it is bells and whistles. It starts with a song, and everybody pours their heart into that. There’s something for everybody in country music. So, let’s just open the doors and let everybody in. That’s how I feel.”

The only other time three all-female acts had albums nominated in the same year was in 1999 with Faith by Faith Hill, I'm Alright by Jo Dee Messina, and Wide Open Spaces by The Chicks all receiving nominations. As well as Lambert, this year sees Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville by Ashley McBryde, Bell Bottom Country by Lainey Wilson, Growin’ Up by Luke Combs and Mr. Saturday Night by Jon Pardi all receive nominations for ‘Album of the Year.’

In March, Lambert announced she was parting ways with her long-time label Sony after 20 years, making her a free agent for the first time in two decades. Since signing in 2004, she released 8 solo studio albums and one collaborative record (The Marfa Tapes with Jack Ingram and Jon Randall).

“Since I was 19 years old, Sony has been my home in Nashville. Over the last 20 years together, we have released albums that allowed me to share my story with the world, and we’ve reached heights I’d never even dreamed were possible,” she wrote on social media. “I’m so thankful for our time together and everything they made possible for me, yet I wouldn’t be true to myself if I wasn’t constantly looking for the next challenge and a new way to stretch my creativity. With that in mind, I’ve decided to say goodbye to my Sony family. I can’t wait to see what the next adventure holds.”

It remains to be seen if she’ll sign with another major Nashville label. She most recently worked with Luke Combs on a duet called Outrunnin’ Your Memory from his 2022 Growin’ Up record. Additionally, Lambert owns her own honky tonk bar, winery, clothing label Idyllwind, homeware band Wanda June Home, Mutt Nation foundation and recently released her first cookbook Y’all Eat Yet?.

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