One in every of Lauren Akins’ favorite songs on husband Thomas Rhett’s recent album, A couple of Woman, is a track called “What Could Go Right.” It tells the story of the night Rhett told his future wife — whom he’s known since first grade — how he really felt about her.
“We were 21 years old and we were on her parents’ front porch, and I used to be like, ‘Hey, we’re either going thus far or I can’t see your face for five years because I’ve been in love with you since I used to be 16,’” the singer shares in the newest issue of Us Weekly. “It was the primary time we kissed, and we got engaged six months later.”
Since tying the knot of their native Nashville in October 2012, the couple have been on quite a ride. Rhett scored his first of twenty-two No. 1 singles in early 2014 and has gone on to win eight ACM Awards and two CMA Awards. He and Akins, each 34, also welcomed 4 children — Willa Gray, 8, Ada James, 6, Lennon Love, 4, and Lillie Carolina, 2.
Over time, they’ve been refreshingly honest about their ups and downs, balancing their picture-perfect Instagram feeds with real talk concerning the trials and tribulations of marriage and parenthood. Akins even penned a bestselling memoir, Live in Love, concerning the challenges they’ve faced as a pair.
“Hardships are going to enter your lives in some unspecified time in the future in time, it’s nearly the way you weather the storms,” says Rhett. Adds Akins: “Even when it doesn’t feel easy, at the top of the day, we decide one another.”
Here, the country superstar tells Us more about marriage, music and matters of the guts.
Not many couples have known one another so long as you and Lauren. That should be such a special connection.
Little doubt. I feel that’s why we are able to make fun of one another so easily. We all know so many things about each other.
What do you’re keen on most about Lauren?
She’s some of the interesting and smartest people I do know. She graduated from [the University of] Tennessee with a nursing degree. She was at all times at the highest of our class. In highschool, she tutored me in math. She’s genuinely essentially the most authentic person I’ve ever met.
Now we all know who’s helping the children with their math homework.
Willa Gray was performing some yesterday they usually don’t carry numbers anymore, so I literally had to take a look at my 8-year-old and tell her I couldn’t help her. That’s a blow to a dad’s heart. I believed I’d at the least help until algebra and geometry after which tap out. So, yeah, Lauren is unquestionably the one doing that!
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins’ love story is one for the books. The couple met as kindergartners, but it surely took them about 15 years to comprehend that they were life partners — they usually haven’t turned back since. The country superstar and the Live in Love creator began dating in 2011 after reconnecting at a […]
Up to now, you guys have talked about having issues in your relationship and going to marriage counseling. Was there a selected low point?
We were becoming famous at arguably the toughest moment in our personal lives. Adopting [Willa Gray] and getting pregnant at the identical time while having to be in Uganda for a yr with me traveling backwards and forwards was so difficult. I’d go to Uganda and be husband and pop, after which go to America and be like, “OK, shows and music.” I used to be internally imploding, and so was Lauren. We’d each come to those breaking points [feeling like] something has to provide. It was not a fun time in our marriage.
How did you two get through it?
Giving up was not an option. That thought has never crossed my mind or Lauren’s. With me being a fixer and Lauren being stubborn, we made it work. The simplest thing to do is quit. But once you don’t and also you keep grinding it out, you’ll inevitably change into stronger.
So would you say it ultimately made you a greater couple?
I’m so grateful we needed to undergo that because now we now have a full bag of tools to make use of the following time something hard [happens].
Why be so open about all of these things?
One in every of my favorite things to do is discuss how hard marriage could be and the way hard it’s to be a dad and lift children to be good people. There are days which might be easier than others and moments of pure joy, and there’s lots of days that suck. I feel like I actually have some wisdom to share with younger people in order that they don’t make the identical mistakes I did.
Were you and Lauren ever hesitant to indicate the world you’re not perfect?
At 26, it was nerve-racking to portray anything that was lower than “couple goals” on Instagram. Now there’s no pressure to pretend we’re [something] we’re not. We’re normal individuals who take care of the identical stuff everybody else deals with.
What advice do you’ve got for other couples who could be going through a tough time?
Complete honesty in any respect costs. Darkness cannot live where the sunshine is. As for younger artists trying to determine, “Do I would like to get married at 22? What is going to this do for my profession?” In the event that they’re your person, marry ’em and own it. Make that person your centerpiece because that’s your rock for the remaining of your life.
Country cuties! Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins have cute daughters and love spending time with the little ones — and documenting their cutest moments on social media. The “Die a Blissful Man” singer and his childhood sweetheart adopted their daughter Willa from Uganda in May 2017. “I had at all times desired to adopt,” Akins told Us […]
Do you would like more kids?
We’re each really blissful with 4. Lillie’s starting school, so we’ve been like giddy little kids saying, “What are we going to do with eight hours a day, three days every week?” However it wouldn’t be shocking if a fifth [came along] in the following three or 4 years.
What does a typical weekday appear like within the Rhett/Akins household?
School ends at 3:30, so we get home and let the children play for an hour after which we do homework. Then it’s dinnertime, bath and bedtime. Lauren and I actually have change into old people, so we sit in bed and browse books individually until we go to sleep. Our lives aren’t crazy.
What about date nights?
Now that our youngsters are older, we began to make it past 9:30. We love going to dinner, sharing wine. We even have a terrific community of friends, so we’ll hang around with six or seven people at a restaurant or whatever.
For those who could return to your first day of parenting, what would you tell yourself?
To cherish it. It’s easy to wish away the hard years. [Lauren] calls them the “wiping years” — wiping tears, wiping floors, wiping butts, all of that. I’ve been a dad long enough to know the way fast it goes. Sooner or later my problems with my kids are going to be so much different than not wanting to eat broccoli. I’m learning the right way to live in these moments.
Has it been cool watching the children discover what you do for a living?
It’s really fun. Any likelihood I get, I’m like, “Do you ought to come on the road this weekend?” They’re all about it. Ada James is like me — she likes to be in front of the camera. A pair months ago [after a show], I spent two hours with Ada James passing out pictures and Willa Gray grabbing people’s hats for me to sign. That was [when] I noticed they understand what I do.
Would you encourage them to follow in your footsteps?
In the event that they really loved it. They like to sing and bang around on the piano, but Ada James desires to be a cop and Willa Gray desires to be a heart surgeon, in order that they might have already got their lives planned out.
Whether highschool sweethearts or second possibilities at love, these country couples are in it for the long haul. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a love story for the ages. The twosome tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome daughters Gracie, Maggie and Audrey in 1997, 1998 and 2001, respectively. Despite […]
You adopted Willa Gray from Uganda in 2017 and have been open about it being a troublesome process. What would you tell other parents in that position?
I’m not going to lie, there have been many nights where I used to be like, “I don’t know if this paper is ever going to get signed or if we’re going to hammer down that meeting we’d like to have.” Prayer got us through. Expect roadblocks but don’t lose heart. For those who feel called to adopt, don’t let the hearth burn out.
How do you discover balance between your profession and fatherhood?
No parent wants to listen to, “Why do you’ve got to go away?” I needed to learn the right way to re-tool my answer, so as an alternative of claiming, “I do know, baby, I actually don’t wish to go,” I say, “I don’t have to go away. I get to because I actually have the privilege of doing something I like for my job.” I would like them to comprehend it’s possible to do something you’re keen on for a living.
Tell us more about your recent album, A couple of Woman. What inspired you?
I desired to make my wife and children dance. It was very intentional to make the record feel upbeat. I’m known for writing love songs, but I wanted to supply them in a way that’s fun and joyful.
You previously said you were inspired by how Taylor Swift conducted her live shows. Did you’re taking any of that inspiration when coming into this album?
I feel the largest thing I took away from her was that she had no fear on that stage. Two hours in, I used to be like, “That is essentially the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen with my very own two eyes.”
Did you reach out to her afterwards?
Me and Taylor actually grew up in the identical little town in Nashville. I used to see her at Sonic and Starbucks back within the day. She’s been so kind at all times. My wife and children were in London a pair weeks ago when she was doing her third night at Wembley, and she or he hooked all my kids up. She’s at all times been really kind to our family.
In any case your awards and accolades, do you continue to feel pressure to top yourself?
Once I was starting out, I type of didn’t care. I’m broke already, it could’t get any worse. There have been a number of years [around 2020 to 2022] where I wasn’t really feeling the enjoyment. You’re taking a look at what your pals are doing and also you’re like, “I sold out one night, but he sold out three,” and you think that, “I’m not ok.” But this record was a really freeing moment for me to get back to doing it for the love of it slightly than the consequence. I’m more excited than I’ve ever been in my profession.
Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins, Stephen Curry and Ayesha Curry and more celebrity couples were first linked in highschool. The country music star met Akins once they were in grade school in Georgia. Fast forward to highschool and things turned romantic between them. While their relationship hit a roadblock once they were teenagers, […]
How do you are feeling about all of the country music crossover happening these days?
It’s amazing. Cowboy culture has change into famous across the globe. You’ll be able to’t stop a cultural moment like this. I like that folks who had never heard of country music or at all times thought it was lame are actually vibing to it.
You’re close with Post Malone, who released his recent country album, F-1 Trillion, this month. Would you ever do a collaboration?
I’d like to collab with Posty. We’ve tried to get dates within the books to jot down songs for 2 years, we just haven’t been capable of make it occur [yet].
Who else would you’re keen on to work with?
My favorite artist is Teddy Swims. He’s arguably certainly one of the best singers ever. He and Bruno Mars are No. 1 on my list.
How do you stay grounded?
It’s hard to be prideful when you’ve got children. They’ve humbled me. You walk within the door and anyone’s like, “Make me a sandwich.” And Lauren and I actually have adopted this concept of serving people. Whenever you attempt to live your life for the sake of others, there’s no room for pride to creep in. I don’t get it right on a regular basis but I get up and go, “How can I be higher for anyone else today?”
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