Maybe We Can All Be “Emo Cowgirls” with Megan Moroney’s Cloud 9

When someone asks what kind of music I like, I would traditionally respond with the classic answer: “anything except for country.” However, emerging country mega-star Megan Moroney has almost single-handedly altered my answer to that question. Whether it’s her “emo cowgirl” branding or heart-wrenching ballads, Moroney’s third album has changed my mind entirely on the state of country music. Cloud 9, released on February 20, channels the same emotional nostalgia as Taylor Swift’s Speak Now while adding a heartbreaking maturity unique to Moroney’s own style. The title track, “Cloud 9,” is an upbeat love song laced with deep-rooted anxiety about the end of a relationship. Almost every other song on the album confirms Moroney’s earlier fears, with her growing heartbrokenness ultimately culminating in the penultimate track. An instant classic, “Who Hurt You?,” is an iconically angry breakup ballad, with a bridge that serves as both the lyrical and sonic peak of Cloud 9. The album’s final track, “Waiting On the Rain,”  is a beautifully written plea from Moroney to herself—a plea to move on from the toxic relationship outlined throughout the album, acting as a perfect closer to the rollercoaster of feelings developed throughout Cloud 9. 

The range of emotions on Cloud 9 is particularly impressive; there’s a song for any given occasion. My only complaint about this album is that it was not released sooner—I could easily envision my angsty teenage self listening to this every day in high school, shuffling from the pure anger in “Change of Heart” to the deep heartbrokenness on “Wedding Dress.” I know I needed more songs like “Beautiful Things” and “Liars & Tigers & Bears” in my early teenage years to serve as reminders of self-worth and confidence in the face of the typical teen interpersonal struggles that seem insurmountable. All fifteen tracks are necessary to Cloud 9, and they have easily cemented Megan Moroney as my favorite country artist.

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Alexis Wilson is a Freshman in the College planning on studying Government and English.