Singer, songwriter and superstar Miranda Lambert ready to rock Orlando…

In just a few short years, Miranda Lambert went from country music’s up-and-comer to an international star, capturing audiences across all music genres with her mix of Southern charm and feminine ferocity. She’s hard not to love; at just 34 years old Lambert has proven that she has more than enough depth in the industry. She has two Grammys and 23 Academy of Country Music Awards to prove it. We spoke with Lambert ahead of her Jan. 19 stop at the Amway Center for her Living Like Hippies tour. Lambert shared her views on the future of country music, her upbringing and tells us the one song she wishes she had written.

ORLANDO FAMILY MAGAZINE: You’ve been recognized with countless awards and accolades for your music, does it ever get old?
MIRANDA LAMBERT: This is all so unreal and it’s hard to believe sometimes that this is my life. Mind blowing really. I’m so blessed and couldn’t be happier with my life and getting to do what I love as a job. I love my fans, they are the best.

OFM: Country music seems so collaborative; do you enjoy getting the chance to work with other artists and would you like to ever create a song with someone outside of the genre?
ML: Getting to collaborate and create with other artists is wonderful. Being up close and seeing another artist’s inspirations for what they do, energizes me. I am absolutely open to working outside of my genre, I love music of all kinds, it all depends on the song.

OFM: What can your Orlando audience expect from your show?
ML: Hopefully a great time. The production is very fun, it’s big … but more importantly the set list will hopefully inspire the fans to sing along.

OFM: Do you think country music has become so mainstream that the barriers that may have existed in the past are now gone and that the lines blur between country and pop in some instances? And is that a good thing in your eyes?
ML: I think country music is mainstream. We have seen that with Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, both artists get not only played on other radio formats, but are hugely successful doing it.

OFM: I’ve read that when you were younger your family lost your home and had to live in an uncle’s farmhouse. How did that experience humble you and shape who you are today with all the success that you’ve achieved?
ML: I am sure everything you go through shapes you in some way or another. I have great parents and they helped me build a strong foundation. They’ve shown me to work hard for what you want to accomplish in life. I always go with my gut to get myself through tough decisions and so far it’s worked out.

OFM: What’s your creative process like when you’re writing, do you write to music or come up with the lyrics first, how do you piece the puzzle together?
ML: I’ve always written about what is going on in my life at that moment, saying what I want to say no matter what. Many songs are written just from hanging out with some of my friends who are songwriters. We’ll just start talking about something and then a song comes out as result.

OFM: To have this very personal thing like writing a song turn into something that so many people react and relate to, is that one of the most rewarding aspects of the job?
ML: When someone tells me that one of my songs helped them through a tough time or inspired them to do something, I feel that I have done my job. To know that someone is listening and taking something from my music to make them feel something, is an amazing feeling.

OFM: What’s the one song you wish you wrote and why?
ML: “The House That Built Me” which was written by Allen Shamblin and Tom Douglas. When I heard it for the first time I felt very strongly about the words as I thought it described my life. I still wish I wrote it! But I am glad someone did and I got to record it.

OFM: Tell us about having your parents have to get you into bars when you were younger so you could perform; what was that experience like?
ML: My parents were very supportive of my pursuits in music. It was great to get to do what I loved and felt protected and watched out for by my family.

OFM: You’ve said you always wanted to be a country singer and there was never a plan B. In what ways did that push you to make your dreams become a reality?
ML: I am still doing it every day. I am sure it’s like this with any job, you put in the time and the effort and if all works out, you get to do for a living what you love.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s November 2017 issue.