Kelly Clarkson Gushes on Lainey Wilson, Covers ‘Heart Like a Truck’ [Watch]

Kelly Clarkson is obsessed with Lainey Wilson, so — for the second time in recent weeks — she went out of her way to direct her fans to the country newcomer's catalog.

During Saturday night's (Aug. 5) show at the Bakkt Theater in Las Vegas, Clarkson covered Wilson's No. 1 song "Heart Like a Truck." The show was part of her ongoing Las Vegas residency, and to introduce this song, she spoke in some detail about how she's normally an '80s and '90s country kind of gal, but Wilson gets it right.

“I had her on my show and I fell in love with her, and her name is Lainey Wilson,” Clarkson tells her crowd, drawing loud applause. “I literally spent, in Montana … this summer I listened to this record (Wilson's Bell Bottom Country album) non-stop.”

Clarkson's cover of "Heart Like a Truck" stays true to the original. This isn't the first time she's gushed on Wilson, either — in July, after releasing her new Chemistry album, she told fans that if they needed a break from her to check out a song by Cody Johnson and Wilson's "Wildflowers and Wild Horses."

Wilson saw that message and responded with, "Well dang. This means the world from you sister. Love you."

Country covers have become regular on Clarkson's television show, and now she's letting them populate her Las Vegas setlist, as well.

Wilson is enjoying a breakout year that includes Female Artist of the Year at the both the CMA and ACM Awards and Album of the Year at the 2023 ACMs.