Miranda Lambert has finally addressed the long-running story surrounding her reported 2010 encounter with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.
During an appearance on The New York Times’ Popcast on Oct. 1, 2026, Lambert was asked about the long-standing rumor that she had punched Kroeger during a night out in Nashville.
The country star clarified that she did not punch him. However, she admitted that she threw moonshine in his face.
The revelation adds a new detail to a story that has circulated in country music circles for more than 15 years.
Miranda Lambert Addresses the Chad Kroeger Incident
Lambert was asked directly about the claim that she had hit Kroeger during the reported 2010 encounter.
Rather than confirming the punch rumor, she gave her own account of what happened.
Lambert acknowledged that she threw moonshine in Kroeger’s face. She also recalled that the drink left the Nickelback singer’s hair in bad shape.
She described the night as a late one when neither person was in their best state.
The singer also suggested that the encounter was not simply a harmless joke between two musicians. When asked whether she and Kroeger are on good terms today, Lambert said she did not know but was not particularly concerned about it.
What Happened Between Miranda Lambert and Chad Kroeger?
The story dates back to 2010, when Lambert was celebrating her 27th birthday at a Nashville bar.
At the time, Us Weekly reported an eyewitness account claiming Kroeger repeatedly encouraged Lambert to take shots with him. According to that account, Lambert declined.
The same report alleged that an argument followed and that Lambert eventually threw a shot in Kroeger’s face.
Because the original account came from an eyewitness rather than either musician, those details should be treated as a reported version of the incident.
Kroeger has not publicly provided his own account of the encounter, according to current reports.
Blake Shelton Had Previously Hinted at the Story
The incident also resurfaced years later because of comments from Blake Shelton.
In a 2014 Rolling Stone interview, Shelton discussed situations in which people would provoke Lambert at bars. He did not initially name the person involved, but he identified the man as the lead singer of a popular rock band with the initials “C.K.”
That description pointed toward Chad Kroeger.
Shelton’s comments gave the old story another wave of attention, although a representative for Shelton had previously denied that an actual fistfight had taken place.
Shelton and Lambert were engaged in 2010 and married in 2011. They divorced in 2015.
Lambert Says She Is Still Close With Avril Lavigne
Although Lambert was discussing her history with Kroeger, she also mentioned his former wife, Avril Lavigne.
Lambert said she and Lavigne are on good terms. She also recalled having Lavigne appear as a surprise guest at CMA Fest.
The connection is notable because Lavigne and Kroeger were married from 2013 to 2015. The pair later divorced but have continued to maintain a friendly relationship, according to public reports.
Lambert’s comments about Lavigne also show that her relationship with the singer is separate from whatever feelings may remain surrounding her old encounter with Kroeger.
Chad Kroeger Has Not Publicly Addressed the Incident
Kroeger has not publicly given a detailed account of the reported 2010 encounter.
That makes Lambert’s recent comments particularly notable because they are the clearest first-person explanation she has publicly offered about what happened.
Still, her account does not establish every detail reported about that night. The original reports were based on eyewitness accounts, while Lambert has now confirmed only the part she personally described.
Keeping those distinctions clear is important when looking back at a celebrity story that has circulated for more than a decade.
Why the Old Miranda Lambert Story Is Trending Again
The Chad Kroeger story resurfaced as Lambert appeared on The New York Times’ Popcast while discussing her career and new music.
Her appearance comes alongside the release of her new album, Crisco, which arrived on Oct. 2, 2026. The project marks a playful shift toward a country-and-disco sound. The Associated Press described the album as a change in direction that combines Lambert’s country background with disco influences.
As a result, the old Nashville story has once again become part of the conversation around one of country music’s most recognizable stars.
For now, Lambert’s version is straightforward: she says she did not punch Chad Kroeger, but she did throw moonshine in his face.