Miranda Lambert Opens Up About How Scary 'Nashville Star' Was For Her


Growing up, Miranda Lambert dreamed of becoming a country music singer. However, when she had the opportunity to audition for Nashville Star, a reality TV talent show, Lambert admits he was absolutely terrified.

"I was so scared of the DFW [airport]. How am I going to navigate this?" Lambert recalled during an interview at Country Radio Seminar. "I have to land in Nashville and live in a house with 10 strangers. I basically treated it like moving into a dorm, I guess. That's what it was. I just thought, 'I have to give it my all. I'm here, I've made it, I'm going to try.'"

"Then, when the show started, the first episode, I was the first contestant to do the first song, on the first episode," she continued. "I was the youngest by 10 years. It was like, 'Oh, this is fair.' I did a Hank Williams song, called 'Settin' the Woods on Fire.'"

Lambert's performance set her apart as she became a top competitor throughout the season. She relied heavily on her previous experiences, noting how playing bars and clubs toughened her up for the show.

"All my grit from the bars, all the moments where nobody was listening, people were clanking balls, people on the stage and booing you, requesting waltzes 24/7. It was like, everything that had culminated came to that moment," Lambert reflected. "That was what set me on this journey."

Lambert ended up placing third on the show behind Buddy Jewell and John Arthur Martinez, however she was not disappointed in the loss one bit. Winning the show meant releasing a single that the record company had already picked in advance, which Lambert didn't really care for.

"I didn't want the first song out of the gate, for my major label deal, to be something I didn't like," explained the singer.

Lambert instead used the exposure from the show to eventually get a record deal with Epic Nashville. Her major label debut album, Kerosene, was released in 2005 ultimately launching Lambert into the successful career she's had.

Currently, Lambert is out on the road for her "Wildcard Tour" in support of her latest album, Wildcard. The tour kicked off on January 16 in Tupelo, Mississippi. A full list of cities and dates included on the trek can be seen here.

Fellow country singer, Cody Johnson and Lanco are opening acts for the "Wildcard Tour." The Randy Rogers Band and Parker McCollum will also join Lambert for a few select stops. Tickets to the tour are available now.

Photo: Getty Images

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