Miranda Lambert has finally addressed the long-running story that she once punched Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger during a night out in Nashville.
Asked directly about the claim during an appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast, Lambert rejected the punch story and described what she remembered doing instead. “I threw moonshine on his face. I did do that,” she said.
Lambert admitted she was nervous to revisit the incident and said the encounter happened during a late night when “no one was in their best state.” She also made clear that she did not consider the exchange playful.
The conversation came as Lambert promoted her new album, Crisco, released Oct. 2, and gave her an opportunity to answer a story that had followed her for roughly 16 years.
Lambert Says the Moonshine ‘Wrecked’ Kroeger’s Hair
After Lambert acknowledged throwing the drink, cohost Jon Caramanica asked about Kroeger’s well-known hairstyle at the time.
“Wrecked it,” Lambert replied, according to PEOPLE.
When the hosts asked whether the confrontation had been playful or mischievous, Lambert answered, “No.” She also gave a short response when asked about her relationship with Kroeger today: “I don’t know if we’re fine now, but I don’t care.”
Lambert did say she has a good relationship with Avril Lavigne, who was married to Kroeger from 2013 to 2015. Lavigne recently joined Lambert as a surprise guest during CMA Fest.
The 2010 Account Began With a Dispute Over Shots
The encounter dates to Lambert’s 27th birthday celebration in Nashville in 2010.
Us Weekly, revisiting its earlier reporting on the incident, said an eyewitness claimed Kroeger repeatedly encouraged Lambert to take shots with him and that she declined.
The witness alleged that Kroeger then insulted Lambert, prompting her to grab the drink and throw it at him. Kroeger has not publicly given his version of the encounter.
Reports at the time also claimed Blake Shelton, who was engaged to Lambert, became involved after the exchange. Shelton’s representative disputed that characterization and said no fists were thrown, describing Shelton as a “peacekeeper.”
Blake Shelton Referenced the Kroeger Story in 2014
The incident resurfaced four years later when Shelton joined Lambert for a Rolling Stone interview.
While talking about people confronting Lambert in bars, Shelton referred to an encounter involving “the lead singer of a very popular rock band.” He stopped short of saying the musician’s name but offered his initials: “C.K.”
Contemporary coverage identified Shelton’s reference as Kroeger. E! News reported the comments when the Rolling Stone profile was published in 2014.
Lambert and Shelton married in 2011 and divorced in 2015.
Lambert Released ‘Crisco’ the Same Week She Revisited the Story
Lambert’s Popcast appearance arrived alongside the Oct. 2 release of Crisco, a record that moves deeper into the country and disco combination she began exploring in recent work.
The Associated Press reported that Lambert described the album as having more joy than many of the heartbreak and fiery songs that have defined earlier stages of her career.
She also said reaching this point in her career gave her more freedom to experiment with sounds she had not previously explored. The album includes “Snakeskin Boots” with Ella Langley and follows Lambert’s work as a writer and producer on Langley’s Dandelion.