When you think about the most recent great debut albums in Country music you think of Kip Moore’s ‘Up All Night’, of Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Same Trailer, Different Park’, Ashley McBryde’s ‘Girl Going Nowhere’ and Luke Combs’ ‘This One’s For You’. Well, there’s a new name and a new album to add to that list because Megan Moroney’s version of emo-Country, Sad-Girl Country, call it what you will, that she introduces to the world on this, her debut album, ‘Lucky’, is that good.
That was the opening paragraph to our 4.5 star review of Megan Moroney’s debut album, which you can read here if you missed it the first time around. Moroney has just secured her debut number one with ‘Tennessee Orange’, knocking the behemoth that is Morgan Wallen off the top spot and is now gearing up for a trip across the Atlantic to make her debut in the UK at The Long Road festival in August, augmented by some headline shows of her own. We were thrilled to grab some time with Megan to talk all about it.
Thank you for giving us your time today, we know how busy you are.
Of course! I’m just hanging out today so thank you for speaking to me.
Congratulations on getting ‘Tennessee Orange’ to number one. What an achievement. Did you ever dream that that would happen when you released the song last year?
No, I did not see this coming at all! It’s been amazing, I’ve been celebrating all week! I’m a little sore-headed if I am being honest! (laughing) I really want to take a vacation as a way of celebrating the achievement. My schedule doesn’t allow that but maybe a little later in the year. I’ve also thought about getting a tattoo as a way of marking the achievement but I’m not sure about that idea yet.
‘Lucky’ feels like an album, to me, that sounds like an artist three albums into their career. Have you had the songs for a while or were they all written relatively recently?
Most were written recently. It took about a year and a half to write the album. I started at the beginning of 2022 and I wrote virtually everyday so there were quite a few songs to choose from.
Whoever picked the 13 songs did a fine job!
I fully chose the songs myself! (laughing) My label didn’t even know which songs we cut until I turned in the album.
I’m reminded of the first two Kacey Musgraves albums when I listen to ‘Lucky’ in terms of the music and the lyrical bite. Is she an influence on you at all and what other artists have helped to shape who you are?
Yes, she is! Definitely. ‘Same Trailer, Different Park’ was the first record I heard that made me want to write my own songs. I was, like, ‘how the heck did she think of that idea?’ (laughing) The other two artists who have the biggest influence on me are Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift. Those three ladies are my big three. Their songwriting is just genius and that is what I try to focus on with my music, the writing. That comes first and then the song evolves after.
I was lucky enough to see Taylor on her ‘Eras’ tour in Nashville, on night 3, in the rain! That was the best concert I’ve ever been to.
When you played ‘Tennessee Orange’ to your family for the first time, what was their reaction?
I send all the songs that I write to my mom and my dad, I have a group message set up with them for that. I sent them a work tape and usually they give me feedback, you know? Like, ‘that’s good’ or ‘we don’t really like that one’. I got a phone call from my mom right after they got ‘Tennessee Orange’, which very rarely ever happens! (laughing) She was, like, ‘What are you talking about in this song and what is going on????’ (laughing)
My mom said she liked the song but she was a little bit confused about what was going on! (laughing)
It’s fascinating seeing the people dressing in orange at your shows given you are a Georgia Bulldogs fan!
It’s cool that the song has such an impact and identity that it means people can show up at the shows in Tennessee stuff, for sure. I’ve seen it, particularly at CMAFest at the Riverfront stage, and I know they are wearing it for the song but I’m, like, ‘Guys, I’m a Georgia Bulldogs fan!’ (laughing) They are wearing the orange for me, which is so nice of them.
There’s so much raw honesty in your songs. Do you find it easy opening up your feelings in that way or is it something you’ve had to learn how to craft?
I find it easier to open up in a song than I do in conversation really. I kinda just trauma dump in my writing in a way that I don’t like to do just talking to people. A song like ‘Girl in the Mirror’ was a lot easier for me to write than it would have been for me to say out loud in a conversation with someone. It’s definitely therapeutic for me to be able to express my emotions in that format.
Have you ever listened to a song that ends on a cliff hanger and you want to know what happens next? I feel like that about your song, ‘Traitor Joe’. I want to know what Joe does with the information you give him.
(laughing) That’s a good one. Maybe I need to write to sequel to that song. I’ve never thought about that before but it is really interesting to think about. I would hope that Joe likes me in the same way I liked him and he trades his girlfriend in for me. That’s how it ends in my head. It’s a happy ending I think.
‘Why Johnny’ is a superb song. If you could imagine what June Carter would say back to you in response to your plea or your letter to her, what do you think she might say?
You know, that’s why I wrote the song, I have no idea. You can read all about Johnny and June and how they lived but no-one but them knows the real truth. I feel like my takeaway from writing ‘Why Johnny’ was to have empathy with June and other women in those type of situations. She must have been a really strong woman to be able to stick around through some of the things that he did and I would like to know how and why she did it, which is what the song is about.
There’s a depth in that song that you don’t often find on a debut album. It’s going to be fascinating seeing where your writing and your career goes. Have you got more songs recorded or stored away on your phone for albums 2 and 3 or have you not even thought about that process yet?
Oh, I’ve thought about that and those projects, for sure. I’ve got several songs recorded and stored away but I think it will be a minute before we get to those because I want to be able to tour everywhere with ‘Lucky’ first. I feel like if I were to record another album without going everywhere I can with these songs first people will be upset!
I really want to live in this ‘Lucky’ era for as long as I possibly can but I am writing songs with a second album in mind at the same time.
The irony of ‘Sad Songs for Sad People’ being the only real love song on the album is not lost on me. Final songs / closing songs on albums are really important. Why did you choose that song to do that for ‘Lucky’.
I think ‘Sad Songs…..’ ending a record that contains a lot of heartbreak is a hopeful, brighter way to finish. It wrapped up the album and the ‘Lucky’ project quite nicely I think. We almost didn’t cut that song because it almost went to another artist. At the last minute when we were finalising the track list, I couldn’t stop thinking about that song and we brought it back in and cut it, right at the last minute. It wouldn’t fit anywhere else on the album.
Picking up on writing for other artists. Does a number one hit mean you get a lot more requests to work with or write for other artists?
Yeah, my writing requests have, for sure, increased recently! (laughing) I don’t know whether I could actually write for another artist. I couldn’t sit down and write a song for so-and-so, you know? My songs are so personal to me so if another artist cuts one of my songs it would need to be a song that I would have released and would have been written for me in the first instance I think. I don’t know how to write for other artists yet, just for me!
You are bringing the ‘Lucky’ era across the Atlantic in August for an appearance at the Long Road festival and some shows of your own. Have you been over here before?
No, this will be my first time. The passport is sorted, I don’t know where it’s at, right now, but I do have one! (laughing)
There’s a real anticipation and excitement over here in the UK about you coming over.
Yeah. I notice it the most on social media. I have people tweeting at me a lot saying how they can’t wait for me to come over, it’s so cool. I can’t wait. The first time I get to come over I also get to play my music, that’s amazing.
I love the fact that people tell me how you guys are so attentive and respectful towards the song. I love a listening room crowd so I can’t wait to be over.
Do you feel the pressure now that you’ve had a number one hit to make the right choice on the follow up to ‘Tennessee Orange’ or are you not going to worry about where it places on the charts?
You know, I try never to put pressure on myself. The number one is amazing but as far as future number ones go, if it happens – great – if it doesn’t, I’ll still be proud of the music that I am putting out. There’s a lot of things that have to go right for you to get a number one and so I’m telling myself not to get used to it but if it happens again, I won’t complain, right? (laughing) I think we are still figuring out what to put out next but we need to make a decision pretty quickly because something will need to go to radio soon. I have five favourites on the album that I could send! (laughing)
