Lainey Wilson invites Danae Hays to make Opry debut

Country comedian, actress, and content creator Danae Hays experienced the honour of a lifetime when ACM, CMA, and Grammy®-winner Lainey Wilson invited her to step inside the famous circle and make her Opry debut.

Danae was co-hosting backstage when Lainey surprised her by bringing her out front for a moment she’ll never forget – and will likely turn into a parody song soon!

Born in Alabama and based in Nashville, Danae Hays represents a fresh and vibrant female voice in comedy, acting, and music. Blending her Southern roots with humour, she released her debut single Rode Hard in 2023, followed by Dick in My Nightstand in 2024. Both songs quickly climbed the Spotify and Apple Music charts, earning her a cumulative following of over 3.6 million and nearly 2 billion views.

Listen to Danae Hays ‘Dick In My Nightstand’ (and pay extra attention to the lyrics for a good laugh…)

The 32-year-old also hosts a podcast called The Refined and Rowdy Show, which discusses everything from pop culture to heated issues. The podcast, which launched in Autumn of 2023, has surpassed a whopping 1 million listeners!

Danae’s multi-talented nature and love for acting landed her roles in Mother Nature and the Doomsday Prepper (filmed in 2024) and Summer Camp. Now, she’s hitting the road for a 30-city tour kicking off in Santa Rosa, California. She’s also part of the Opry 100 lineup on Tuesday, March 4th.

Opry NextStage, known for spotlighting rising stars destined for country music greatness, places these up-and-comers center stage. These artists bring unique talent, compelling stories, and distinctive sounds, and the Opry helps launch them into the limelight like no other. For the second consecutive year, the program was hosted by Lainey Wilson – a former NextStage artist herself – who is headlining the C2C Festival in the UK this Spring.

Since its inception in 2019, the NextStage program has featured chart-topping artists like Parker McCollum, Priscilla Block, BRELAND, Jameson Rodgers, Nate Smith, and Yola. Many alumni have gone on to achieve major success, from sold-out tours to chart-topping singles.

The class of 2023 continued that legacy, with rising stars like Ashley Cooke, Kameron Marlowe, Corey Kent, Jackson Dean, and Megan Moroney making waves in country music. Just three years ago, in 2021, Lainey Wilson was part of this prestigious group. Fast forward to 2024, and she’s now selling out shows, picking up countless awards and preparing to headline the C2C Festival at London, Belfast & Glasgow in March.

Without further ado, here’s the Opry NextStage Class of 2024:

• 49 Winchester
• Anne Wilson
• Charles Wesley Godwin
• Chase Matthew
• Ella Langley
• Flatland Calvary
• Josh Ross
• Madeline Edwards
• Wyatt Flores

These artists represent the next wave of country music’s brightest stars, so keep a close eye on them as we follow their exciting journey!