Miranda Lambert on making music with her husband and the country legends who inspire her

After two decades of releasing chart-topping hits, Miranda Lambert has certainly earned the right to be called a country superstar. Now, her icon status has officially been solidified.

At the 2024 People’s Choice Country Awards, the singer received the Country Icon Award, an accolade that came hot on the heels of the release of her 10th studio album.

Aptly named “Postcards from Texas,” it’s the first album Lambert has made in Texas since she was 18 years old.

“It felt really full circle,” she said of the experience while talking with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager in September 2024.

While reflecting on her Country Icon Award, the singer, now 41, said it feels “crazy” to think that she’s an icon at this point in her life.

“I feel like some days I’m just getting started in some ways. So to already have an icon status, it means the world. But it’s also like, ‘All right, well I got to uphold this. So I got to keep going,’” she said.

Before appearing on TODAY’s fourth hour at that time, Lambert sat down with TODAY.com to answer eight questions before 8 a.m. in our original video series “8 Before 8.”

From personal to professional questions, Lambert didn’t hold back in her responses. She dished on country icons who inspire her, her favorite tattoo and her new album. Plus, she assessed husband Brendan McLoughlin’s songwriting abilities.

How did you come up with the name of your album ‘Postcards from Texas’?

The name “Postcards from Texas” kind of felt right for the record because there are so many influences on this record that have sort of made me who I am as an artist musically. And I felt like each was a little snapshot of the last 20 years of inspiration.

What was the inspiration for your new song ‘Wranglers’?

My new song “Wranglers” was written by my good friend Audra Mae, and I think the inspiration was just life and girl talk. We were talking about experiences we had had, and we were writing songs and drinking tequila.

And then a month later she sent me “Wranglers,” and she was like, “I took our stories and I wrote them. Hope you don’t mind.” So I just love it. It’s like — it really reminds me of something I would’ve put on some of my earlier records.

What music icons have inspired you over the years?

So many people have inspired me, but country, specifically. The obvious ones: Dolly (Parton) and Reba (McEntire) because they are our queens, Loretta Lynn. But on this record, specifically, I feel like George Strait had a lot of influence for me. We call him the king in Texas for a reason.

‘Wranglers’ is a total revenge anthem. What’s the wildest thing you’ve done to get revenge on an ex?

I feel like anything that I’ve ever done for revenge, I’ve written in a song. So if you want the answers, you’ll have to listen to the records.

Describe the process of writing ‘Dammit Randy’ with your husband.

I did write a song with my husband called “Dammit Randy” on this record. I had my husband writing songs here in 2020 when we were all home and bored, and he actually turned out to be pretty good. He is a retired NYPD officer, so songwriting is not his (thing). Now, he has it on his resume because he’s really proud.

We were kind of wrapping up songs for this record, and my friend Jon Randall picked up a guitar and that usually means we’re going to write a song. And Brendan was watching football and kind of kept popping lines in. And so I was like, “If you’re going to do this, we’re not going to watch the game and write songs. You got to pick a side.” And so, he ended up writing some of my favorite lines in the song.

You got married after 3 months of dating. How did you know your husband was the one?

You know, my husband’s my person, and it’s taken a journey to get there and figure that out. But I’m also a person that really believes in love and taking a risk. And if you don’t, you know, I know that loving big can also mean hurting big. But to me, it’s definitely worth it.

This is your 10th studio album. What are 10 things you can’t live without?

Ten things I can’t live without: Dogs, dogs, country music, my husband. Not in that order. I should have probably put him before the dogs, but he would expect nothing less. Tito’s and Cheetos and girl time. Can’t live without girl time. And cowboy boots and Texas Longhorns.

Rapid-fire round:

Which of your tattoos is your favorite?

Probably my favorite tattoo is my guns and wings on my left arm. It’s my logo, and it was my first big tattoo, and I got it when my record “Kerosene” went gold. So it definitely means something to me.

What’s your favorite recipe from your cookbook?

My favorite recipe from my cookbook is probably my mom’s meatloaf because it’s famous. Well, she calls it famous, so, so do we.

Do you prefer touring or doing a residency?

Hmm, I loved the (Las) Vegas residency so much. It was such a different way of doing what I do versus being on the road for 20 years. But it did make me miss the road. So I don’t, I don’t know, I think having a balance of a residency and the road was kind of the perfect storm.

If you had to choose one: Horses or dogs?

Oh, man, I can’t choose between horses or dogs. It’s just impossible. I’ll have to take a shot.

What’s your favorite police show or movie?

Well, all I watch is police shows and cooking shows. So “SVU” (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), I’m like a die-hard Olivia (Benson, Mariska Hargitay) fan.