Miranda Lambert’s love story with her husband, Brendan McLoughlin, is one of those whirlwind romances that surprised both the country music world and her fans.
McLoughlin, an NYPD officer at the time of their meeting, was a “city boy” through and through. Born and raised on Staten Island and working in Manhattan, you really couldn’t get any “city” than him.
During a sit-down interview for the cover story of Us Weekly, Lambert revealed her relationship with McLoughlin was unexpected in more ways than one.
When asked if she ever thought she’d fall in love with a city boy, she replied, “Absolutely not. It was the most random thing, but it was meant to be.”
Despite their whirlwind romance, Lambert knew he was The One, saying, “I kind of went for it; no risk, no reward. I grew up in a family of first responders with cops and firemen. That gave me trust to begin with. Texas people are very much who they are, like, ‘Y’all come on in, but if you don’t like us, we really don’t care.’ That New York mentality is the same, except they’re not as sweet about it. I just felt like the worst that could happen, I’ve lived through. If it ends, it ends.”
She explained that this relationship is different from her previous ones because he challenges her.
“He calls me out, and I love that. I need that. I don’t think it’s healthy that people, especially artists or celebrities, surround themself with yes people,” she said. “If you surround yourself with a group of people who are honest with you, you’ll go a lot farther, and it’s a lot healthier in the long run.”
Their relationship, marked by spontaneity and genuine connection, began in November 2018 when Lambert was in New York City promoting her music with her band, the Pistol Annies, on Good Morning America.
McLoughlin was working security in Times Square at the set of GMA. After a flirty first interaction, she invited him to the Pistol Annies show that night and he showed up. Sparks flew, and what started as a chance encounter quickly blossomed into something more.
After just a few months of dating, Lambert and McLoughlin secretly married in January 2019, revealing their surprise marriage to the world in February of that year. Lambert shared the news in a social media post, saying, “In honor of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share some news. I met the love of my life. And we got hitched!”
The couple has kept their relationship relatively private, though they occasionally share glimpses of their life together on social media. Lambert has expressed how McLoughlin brings balance and joy into her life, often posting lighthearted photos of the two enjoying their farm in Tennessee, traveling together, or celebrating milestones.
It seems the phrase “opposites attract” rang true in their relationship!