Lainey Wilson: Fame Triggered Anxiety and Depression

Country music artist Lainey Wilson has opened up about the severe anxiety and depression she experienced after achieving widespread recognition. The Grammy winner, who is now 33, discussed in a recent Netflix documentary how her dreams materialized rapidly around 2020.

This sudden influx of opportunities, coupled with a fear of their transience, led Wilson to place immense pressure on herself. She described feeling disconnected from herself for a couple of years, battling intense anxiety that resulted in depression. This cycle of mental distress led to several "breakdowns."

Wilson recounted a particularly harrowing experience where she called her manager in distress from an airport, feeling as though she was losing her mind. This period involved multiple days of panic attacks, during which she still performed shows. She characterized it as a terrifying "chemical imbalance" and a feeling of spiraling.

Her manager, Mandelyn Monchick, also recalled the frightening call. Wilson later found solace and perspective through advice from her idol, Reba McEntire. McEntire’s counsel to "do it for somebody else" shifted Wilson’s focus, enabling her to perform with a renewed sense of purpose.

Wilson also reflected on a moment in November 2025 when she realized the magnitude of her success, transitioning from selling 87 tickets to breaking attendance records. This realization helped her establish her place in the industry, reducing the stress of constant pressure to be perfect.