Miranda Lambert Reveals Surprising Reason Behind 'Wildcard' Album Title

For Miranda Lambert's seventh studio album, she chose the name Wildcard, even though that isn't a title of any of the 14 tracks on the record. But for Lambert, who has endured many ups and downs over her 16-year career, with many happening in the last few years, Wildcard was the only name that made sense for the record.

"I got a tattoo last October of the wildcard," Lambert told Entertainment Tonight. "[It's] a reminder that I'm queen of my own heart and I pulled out a few wildcards in my life so far – whether it's relationships or getting out of something that's bad for you, going with your gut and doing something that's a risk and it being rewarding. So, I felt like with this album and all that comes with it, it felt like a great title."

Lambert did reference Wildcard in the lyric in "Bluebird," which says, in part, "And if the house just keeps on winning / I got a wildcard up my sleeve." After The Weight of These Wings released in 2016, Lambert immediately began working on what would become Wildcard, unaware that she would wait three long years before seeing the project come to fruition.

"I wasn't really sure how to take a break because I haven't [before]," Lambert acknowledged. "I felt like you have to fall in love with it again and you can't do that if you don't miss it. I didn't choose the break – my manager suggested it strongly, and she was right because I was a little tired."

In between projects, Lambert and Pistol Annies members Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe released their sophomore Interstate Gospel record, and Lambert fell in love and married Brendan McLoughlin, which all comes out in Wildcard.

"It's kind of like putting your diary out there for everybody to read and sometimes it's a little harder than others," said the singer. "This record has so many funny moments on it that it felt a little less stressful or felt a little less anxious. But [I] always have the jitters and lose sleep for a few nights before [release day.]"

"Being brutally honest is what I built my career on, so I have to stick to that, but it's not always easy," she continued. "But then girls, people, come up to me and say, 'Thank you. You captured how I was feeling in that moment.'"

Order Wildcard at MirandaLambert.com.

Photo Credit: Getty / Jason Kempin