Lainey Wilson says journey shapes her songs. Now followers can take part.

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The nation star opens up about journey habits, artistic inspiration and Hilton’s new highway journey package deal tied to her Atlanta live performance.

Lainey Wilson’s music takes her on the highway quite a bit – which is an effective factor, as a result of journey additionally fuels her artwork.

Whether it’s listening to music from completely different areas or seeing new landscapes, locations depart their mark on the nation star’s songwriting. “I love being out west, I love the desert,” she informed USA TODAY. “There’s something really special about that, and healing about that, and I feel like I catch myself when I’m writing a song kind of going back to some of those places and dreaming about being out there in the desert.”

Hearing tales throughout meet-and-greets in varied cities leaves an impression, too. “I get to meet so many different types of people from so many different walks of life, shake their hand, look in their eye, and feel like we’re friends when the conversation is over, and I feel like that’s a big part of my inspiration,” she stated.

Wilson is now partnering with Hilton to offer followers their very own gigtripping expertise. As a part of the resort firm’s Hilton Honors America highway journey experiences – celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday – Hilton Honors loyalty members can ebook a package deal together with two tickets to her Atlanta live performance, a meet-and-greet and extra for simply 250 factors.

Wilson spoke to USA TODAY about how she likes to journey and the way followers can flip one in every of her exhibits into a visit for 2.

How does Lainey Wilson wish to journey?

While life on tour doesn’t all the time enable for a lot downtime, she tries to find time for enjoyable in every vacation spot.

“I feel like a lot of my life has is lived on a timeline, on a schedule, and so (I try) to make sure that I carve out that time to like go and explore and see the town, go to the coffee shops, meet the people, hear the different accents, all the things like that,” stated the “Somewhere Over Laredo” singer.

Planes and buses aren’t all the time her go-to, although. In Europe, as an illustration, Wilson stated she typically travels by prepare.

“There’s something about just getting on that train and putting in your earbuds and reading a book, and just being able to look out the window and watch the world pass you by, and get to see all the different landscapes and the sheep and all those things,” she stated. “If we had more trains over here (in the U.S.), I’d be hopping a train.”

She’s used a variety of transportation modes. At 19, she traveled forwards and backwards between Louisiana and Nashville earlier than shifting to Music City full-time in a camper trailer – which she then lived in for 3 years.  “I feel kind of like I’m a professional traveler,” she stated.

She nonetheless likes to have creature comforts on the highway, although: She brings her French Bulldog, Hippie Mae, together with her when she will – “She is rotten; it’s her world, we’re living in it,” Wilson stated – and packs books.

“I feel like for years I allowed my ADHD to convince me that I wasn’t much of a reader, and I’m just really diving into that, so making sure I bring my Kindle, my Bible, anything that just makes me feel grounded and centered and focused, and makes me feel like I can get up there and do the best that I possibly can for the fans,” she added.

How to ebook Lainey Wilson’s Hilton Honors America package deal

The package deal is nice for 2 folks, and consists of tickets to Wilson’s Aug. 21 live performance in Atlanta, alongside Chris Stapleton and Ashley McBryde. Other perks embody a three-night keep at a Hilton resort in Atlanta; two nights at Hampton by Hilton whereas vacationers make their manner there; a highway journey starter package together with a $250 BP present card, video games and extra.

Hilton Honors members can test Hilton’s website all through the day to ebook the expertise on June 25, which can be accessible on a first-come, first-served foundation. Non-members can sign up online for the rewards program.

Enrollment is free, however vacationers will need to have not less than 250 factors with a view to ebook the package deal (which could be earned inside a one-night keep at a Hampton by Hilton).

“Truthfully, I’ve lived a lot of my life on the road, and I feel like some of my favorite memories and moments, song ideas, all of that has come from running up and down the road, so I just want to give people an experience,” Wilson stated.

Nathan Diller is a client journey reporter for USA TODAY based mostly in Nashville. You can attain him at ndiller@usatoday.com.