Thomas Rhett’s Wife Asked Him to Remove One Hit From His Setlist Every Year — His Answer Revealed Why 148 Million Streams Could Not Save It. For millions of country fans, “Make Me Wanna” became an irresistible concert favorite, but inside Thomas Rhett’s home, the song has faced one brutally consistent critic.
That critic is Lauren Akins, Rhett’s longtime wife, who apparently disliked the track from the moment she first heard it. According to Rhett, her opinion has never softened, even as the song gained radio success, concert longevity, and more than 148 million streams.
“She hated ‘Make Me Wanna’ with a passion. Still does,” Rhett told Taste of Country Nights, revealing a hilarious divide between public popularity and private approval. While fans continued singing along, Lauren remained unmoved by the numbers, the applause, or her husband’s attachment to the hit.
The track appeared on Rhett’s 2013 debut album, “It Goes Like This,” during the early stage of his rise to country stardom. Its funky production and flirtatious energy helped establish the playful sound that would later become a recognizable part of his musical identity.
However, none of that mattered to Lauren, whose reaction created an annual backstage-style battle that apparently still follows the couple. Rhett said she asks him every year whether “Make Me Wanna” will finally be removed from his live setlist.
For Lauren, the question may sound completely reasonable: Why keep performing a song she has disliked for more than a decade? For Rhett, removing it is far more complicated because audiences still expect the familiar hit when they attend his concerts.
That tension has turned an ordinary programming decision into a recurring household negotiation, with neither streaming statistics nor career history settling the dispute. Lauren keeps asking, Rhett keeps performing it, and “Make Me Wanna” continues surviving another touring year.
The situation is especially funny because Lauren has influenced several of Rhett’s most emotional songs, including music inspired by their marriage and family life. Yet when it comes to this particular single, her connection to the artist has never translated into affection for the material.
Rhett’s admission also exposed an uncomfortable reality for musicians: A successful song can become permanently attached to an artist, even when someone closest to them cannot stand hearing it. Once fans claim a track, removing it can feel like taking away part of their memories.
More than 148 million streams might normally end any argument about whether a song deserves a permanent concert position. Inside the Rhett household, however, those numbers apparently carry little weight against Lauren’s unwavering verdict and her yearly request for retirement.
For now, Rhett seems determined to keep the song alive, even while acknowledging the one person who would happily watch it disappear. “Make Me Wanna” may have conquered playlists and concert crowds, but it still has not won over the woman waiting at home.
