Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki sits down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki's definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. You can listen to Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Singer-songwriter Tanner Adell knows how important it is for women to stick together in the country music industry.
The musician, who has a self-described "glam country style" and is known for reclaiming sexist stereotypes in cowboy culture in her music, opens up on the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk" about how she turns to other female artists for support. As her career has taken off since the 2023 release of her debut album Buckle Bunny, Adell says she's particularly taken to asking for advice from Lainey Wilson, who experienced a similar rapid ascension.
"Being a woman in country music, period, is really hard," Adell says. "You're competing against a lot of men who tend to dominate this genre. They dominate the radio. It's really hard for women to get radio play in country music. So the girls are sticking together."
The country music star shares that she's been getting to know Wilson, who she has "a lot of respect for," in recent months. "We've had a few moments to sit down and really talk," she says.
Adell shares that she and Wilson (who both contributed to the Twisters original soundtrack) were recently at the same charity event in L.A. where she asked her for advice over a 30-minute conversation. "I always wonder with someone like Lainey how her success has affected [her] relationships, specifically with men and other artists that are men in country music," she says. "So we talked about it—and it truly is like the girls gotta have each other's backs and it's not a competition."
She continues, "One thing she said was, 'There's room for all of us. We can all be making music and we can all support each other, and we don't have to be nasty or be talking behind each other's backs 'cause the boys don't have our backs.'"
Adell notes on "Nice Talk" that Wilson isn't the only friend and mentor she's had in the industry. "Very early on, Mickey Guyton was a friend to me, and she's still someone who I just have a lot of trust in," the singer reveals. "When I'm having my doubts or things, I'll call her up and rant to her."
"She's been through all this. I absolutely love her. She feels like a big sister to me," she adds. "Lainey and Mickey have been very, not even just kind, but compassionate and really are there for me. [They] have been through it—and their opinion is the most valid opinion ever.
Adell opens up more about making strides as a Black woman in country music, her experience finding financial security as a musician, and more on this week's installment of "Nice Talk." The episode is out now wherever you listen to podcasts.
