Megan Moroney has been catapulted to country music "It" girl status with the release of her second album, Am I Okay? in July. It's been the fifth biggest country debut of 2024 and the year's third biggest debut from a female country artist. In fact, Moroney told Wall Street Journal reporter Neil Shah that "New listeners are learning that country music isn't just 'trucks, beer and girls'."
"Tennessee Orange" from her debut album, Lucky, was a top 30 hit on the Hot 100, and started the buzz about the emo cowgirl. And what exactly is it about Am I Okay? that has listeners and even the press and media singing the 26-year-old's praises? Moroney says, "You definitely get to know me better as an artist and a songwriter. Lucky was a safe album. It was a great album to get to know me as an artist. But the songs on Am I Okay? are more personal. There are more topics of my life covered that are more vulnerable and honest. There's love and heartbreak and friendship and grief. It's just life and things that I've gone through, and I find a way to write about it."
And songwriting is Moroney's favorite part of the job. "I'm always writing songs. Whether it's on the bus, or at home, or if I'm supposed to be having a day off, I love to get with my co-writers and just write. I am just inspired by real life experiences," she says.
"I think there were one or two songs I wasn't sure I could put on the album because they were so raw," she adds. "My producer {Sugarland's Kristian Bush} said to me, 'I think you're making that decision based off of fear and I don't like that'. Once he said that, I was like 'Screw it, we're putting these songs on the album' because whether they are right or wrong, that's how that situation made me feel. Songwriters may not always tell the story exactly how it went, but more so how it made us feel."
No doubt Moroney is feeling pretty okay. She's been called a "country keeper" by Variety, "demonstrated a natural ability for songwriting" by U.S. News & World Report and "honest and witty" by The New York Times, to name just a few. "It was very cool to see some of the big press outlets speak highly of the album," she says. It feels good. And while I obviously very much appreciate it, I try not to focus on that stuff too much. I try not to put too much weight on other reviews. As a creator, art is subjective and to keep sane, you just have to believe in your art and put it out there. I make music so my fans can enjoy it. As long as my fans are happy, we're good."
In addition to all of the accolades, she just wrapped up a summer tour with Kenny Chesney, adding, "It's been the most fun tour. I've learned so much from Kenny as a performer and from his crew - they have touring down to a science. There are no mess ups. They have everything worked out perfectly. I grew up listening to Kenny Chesney and now Kenny is a friend and mentor to me and gives me advice. His whole crew and team are all amazing."
Moroney's style has taken on a life its own with her fans. "My style is very feminine and over the top," she says. It's girly and sparkly. I always have the same white boots on. Those are kinda my staple. And I usually have big hair. I love being over the top on stage."
'On stage' being the keywords. "My everyday style is more relaxed. I say songwriter Megan and stage Megan are the complete opposite. Songwriter Megan has on a camo set, hair in a bun and no makeup."
Inspired by fashionistas Dolly Parton and Kacey Musgraves (circa 2014), Moroney says, "My songs have sass and attitude, so when you're dressed feminine and girly, it always makes it more fun to sing. I took a few notes from Kacey Musgraves' Same Trailer Different Park album. When I went to see that tour and I saw how girly she was dressed, she could say some of those sassy things without it coming off as rude. And I love Dolly Parton and how over the top her outfits are."
Even Moroney's hair gets lots of attention. There are tutorials on Tik Tok from fans on how to get her hair look. "The younger me would straighten the crap out of my curls," she says. It took me growing up to appreciate it more. I feel like myself with my natural curl. And it's way easier to get ready."
The music industry is glad to have former accounting major Megan Moroney. She says, "I always loved music but it wasn't something I thought you could do as a career. My mom was an accountant so it made sense to me. Then I had the opportunity to open for Chase Rice and the only condition was that I wrote my own song. So when I wrote that first song for the show, I thought that was quite easy and therapeutic." And the rest is history. MeganMoroney.com
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"My style is very feminine and over the top. It's girly and sparkly."
"I'm always writing songs. Whether it's on the bus, or at home, or if I'm supposed to be having a day off, I love to get with my co-writers and just write."