July 6, 2026 • 23 mins
This week on the podcast, country superstar Megan Moroney stops by to talk about her highly anticipated new tour, what fans can expect from the live show, and how she's taking her signature style to the next level. Megan also opens up about her love of the color pink and how it has become more than just a fashion choice—it's a theme that represents confidence, creativity, and a growing chapter in her career. Plus, Megan shares stories from the road, reflects on her journey so far, and gives fans an inside look at what's inspiring her both on and off the stage. And don't miss a special appearance from the show's cutest guest star: Megan's puppy, who steals a little attention and adds plenty of laughs along the way. It's a fun, honest, and unforgettable conversation with one of country music's biggest stars—only on this week's episode!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, we were really excited to hang out with our
guest today today, and then she brought a friend, and
now I'm even more excited to hang out with your friend.
Not that. Listen, Megan Baroni, you are great, you're a
fun interview. But your dog's here, so get out of
the way.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I mean, yeah, it doesn't get better than this little
sweet face.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Isn't it funny when you become a dog parent that
that is how it gets right. Yeah, hey, you brought.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Have some manner.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It's all good. We're a dog We're a dog friendly establishment.
He's sitting he's literally guarding mom right now. I'm not promise.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I think she's a little I don't know what's up
with her today.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Over stimulated. All these people are like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
She's like, she's not that cool. I don't know why
you want to interview her.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
He's like, I humble her. She picks up my poop.
It's fine. Is it tough to have a dog and
like have the life that you have At the same time,
I think it makes.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
My life better.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's really tough, But I think I have enough help
out on the road that I'm not the one that, like,
you know, fifteen minutes before show goes and takes her outside.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I have someone else.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Unfortunately, ready, you got to delay the show five minutes
because you've done It's actually two.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Boots is becoming such a hot commodity that we have
to take her off site of the arena sometimes to
go to the bathroom because my fans recognize her, so
she can't focus to go to the bathroom.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So, oh, Boots is how far away is Boots from?
Like merch? And what do you?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Oh, Boots merch, we already have it. Yeah we need to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
We just have to pull the trigger on that and
like upload it. But I'm trying to work out the
details and stuff. But yeah, of course Boots Merch is already.
She's got her own Instagram. It's emo cow Dog.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Emo cow Dog.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
How are things going on the tour because I'm seen
on social media you look like you're having the time
of your life. I know it's still a grind, but
you look like you're like, holy cow, this is it's
all happening.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, that is a very accurate take. I am having
the best time. It's amazing. I'm still processing that. I
like am playing arenas you know, I think like for
so long, you know, you write the songs and then
a couple of people listen to music and you build,
like you build your fan base, one fan at a time,
(02:36):
and then it's almost like you blink and then you're like, wait,
am I really here?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Like did this?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Many people like plan their evening around and not just
their evening, probably their week and their month around like coming.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
To this show. It's I feel really grateful.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
So it's very easy to have like the best time
every night you are.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
The tour started not long ago. What has what have
been some highlights that like if you look back, look
back like you're eighty five people, oh back in the day,
but look back at the at the first few tour
stops at like, oh, this is awesome, this happened, or
holy cow, this happened.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The two nights in Chicago really blew me away. Like
the United Center, I don't know, we just like drove
by it outside and I was like that place is
huge and I'm playing two nights there, Holy crap, And
just just see you know, like sometimes I can look
out the window and see what's happening outside and it's
just a sea of pink.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
That's been really amazing in every single city.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
The fans show up, show out, And I think the
most notable thing thus far is the two nights at
State Farm Marena in Atlanta, back when it was Phillips Arena.
I saw Justin Bieber there for my second concert ever,
and I was up in like the nosebleeds and that
was in twenty thirteen, so that was thirteen years ago,
(03:58):
and I just like, I don't think even at that time,
like like I said, I thought I was gonna an accountant,
you know, So it wasn't. I wasn't at the Justin
Bieber concert being like, oh my god, this is gonna
be me one day. Like I was just there as.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
A fan, and so I went up to.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Where my seats were and I just like looked out,
Oh you yeah, And it's like, I don't know, I
just feel really grateful. I feel like a lot of
things had to go right to get me to this point.
And so the motto has really just been like being
very grateful and just a lot of gratitude going around
because so many things had to go right, and I've
(04:34):
got like an amazing touring crew, an amazing band, and
they make my life so easy on the road. Everything
is like so routine and stuff too. So it's just
like we're having the best time and it's it's.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
It's like unbelievable kind.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Of you you bring up going to sit up in
that seat right likely mid three hundreds. Yeah, that's something now.
I was going to bring it up before you said
that too. That's something that Kenny Chesney does is he
places massive stadiums. Is at some point, likely after soundcheck,
he'll literally go up all by himself and he'll sit
at one of the last seats in the venue, far
(05:10):
from the stage. And he said, it's because you don't
get the same perspective from the stage, Yeah, as you
would like going out and physically sitting with that person
you know who paid their harder money. Is that something
that helps you boots on the move? Is that all?
Is that something that that helps you gain perspective when
you can go out and do something like that, Because
(05:32):
soundcheck is one thing empty building it fills up, that's
another way. But like to literally go out and be
like holy cow, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
I think it definitely puts things into perspective when you
like are up there and you see how big the
place is. I think Unfortunately, when you play arenas regularly,
you get used to the size of them and you're like, oh,
I feel comfy up here. But like when you go
up in the nosebleeds, it's like that's when I'm like,
I can't believe, like this many people care enough to
(06:03):
like and not only do they show up, they've like
planned their outfits around it, you know what I mean,
Like this is stuff that they've been this is a
concert they've been looking forward to for months, and it's
just really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Especially when I go.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Up in the window, I'm like, you know, I've been
with the people in the pit all night, and I'm
in the lower bowl. I can like see them pretty well.
Then it's like I go up in the window and
I see the people in the nose bleathe and it's
like a whole different perspective. These are like they're having
the best time up here, and they've been the farthest
away the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
But just to see like.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
They're all experiencing the concert the same way, it feels
like very.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
It's just a really unique experience.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Like when I'm singing beautiful things, I'm like, wow, we're
all here. There is fifty thousand people here, we all
like love the same music, and we're all here with
the same message, and it feels like just very hopeful,
and there's like a lot of love in the room,
and I feel like you can really feel it, and
it's cool to see from.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Top of the arena, bottom everywhere are Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Is it? Is it tough to focus because you shared
an an emotional story about about beautiful things with Saint
Jude and you perform the song there one of the
first times in front of people now knowing and I
see on social media how different crowds react and there's
people singing at the top of their lungs. There's you know,
teenage girls crying harder than they've ever cried before, knowing
(07:26):
that a song like that can mean something different to everybody. Like,
is it tough not to like almost like absorb their
emotions as you're performing it?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah? I think I definitely.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When I'm like looking out into the crowd, I'm definitely
observing everybody and how they're reacting to it, and it
gets kind of emotional sometimes, But I think more so
I just I feel lucky to have a song that
does that. You know, Like there's certainly like fun songs
on the set that don't make you want to cry,
but to see that like a song that me and
(08:02):
my friends wrote can like impact people and truly like
give them hope and like help them get through situations.
I have parents come up to me all the time.
People come up to me too, like my fans themselves
will say it, but.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
It's especially like.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Crazy, I guess when a parent comes up and is like,
you know, she's really been struggling at school and this
song is the only way she can talk to me
about it, And so like, thank you for writing this song,
because I wouldn't know about.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
What she's going through if it wasn't for that this.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And it's like when we sat down and wrote the song,
obviously I'm writing it for my niece. Never could imagine
it would have that kind of impact. But then when
you realize it does, it's like, you know, I must be.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Doing what I'm supposed to be doing, because that's cool.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
That and dog mom, Yes, two things you were brought
here for. You brought up seeing the sea of pink.
You know, when you're at a venue and you're able
to see out as people are getting ready to come
to the venue. Do you cause you said when last
time we talked before Cloud nown came out, it was
like it's fun, like you know, it's it's It wasn't
(09:04):
something intentional at first. You did it just because it
was fun. Now it's going to be expected with everything
you do. Yeah, until the end of time. Do you
put pressure on yourself now, like thinking what's next? Or
you're like, it's fun. We'll figure out when we figured out.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I have a very clear vision of where I'm going.
But I will say for right now until October, I've
made a rule to myself that I can't write songs
for my next album until the tour's over because I'm
trying to really enjoy the Pink and.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Enjoy Cloud nine.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I just think that like during am I Okay,
those are amazing shows. Like I think when I look
back and however many years I'm gonna be like the
amok tours when I really realize like, oh, this is
like really special. But during am I Okay in the
m ik tour, I.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Had most of nine written. I knew it was pink.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
The Arena tour was booked, it just wasn't announced yet,
so I knew, like when I'm selling out Radio City, yeah,
but I'm having an arena tour next year, so it's
hard to not like be excited about that. So I'm
trying my best to just be in this moment because
I mean to have a sold out arena tour, Like
I don't just want to brush it off and be like, well,
what's next? Like it's like, no, this is amazing, you know,
(10:25):
Like I started writing songs because it's therapeutic, and I
started posting it on the internet and somehow it got
me here. So let's enjoy this and let's not worry
about what's next, because I'm sure great things will come next,
but let's like worry about that when.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
The time is it Is that something that you had
to step back and learn intentionally because as an artist,
you're almost not conditioned to live that way, right, because
it's like Okay, that was great, what's next?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Right, and you're.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Worried about your future, like, oh, I've got to make
sure that if I have the success, how do I
keep it? Like I gotta eighteen steps ahead at all times.
But I think when I like look back on especially
the Lucky era, like I kind of more in the
Lucky era because it was only a year, like I
released Lucky and then one year later I released.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Him My Okay, so it was only green for a year.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
And I wish, I wish I would have taken more
pictures during that era. I wish I would have like,
I don't know, I guess when you're building a career, though,
you've got to kind of be like, you know, bam
ba ba ba bam, and there's.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
That's just like how it is.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But I'm trying to I guess maybe I'm a little
bit older too now. I'm trying to just be like,
you know what, be proud of, like what yourself and
your team has built together, you know, like enjoy this.
Great things will come after. Because that's how I operate.
I always like I do have the eighteen steps planned ahead,
(11:49):
but I'm not going to act on them yet, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm like, Okay, just save it, save it.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Listen. If you ever wanted to go back and relive
a chapter artists all the time, Mayren Morris is doing
it in August. You could just take one night at
the Ryman and let that project live that night, one
night only.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
So true, Yeah, I need to do something like that
because even I do a surprise song every night, and
I've been playing like songs from Lucky and and my
fans like they love them so much, and it makes
me sad because I'm like, the Vinnies were so small
back then, Like a lot of these people here, you know,
if there's fifteen thousand people here, there's a thousand people
(12:29):
are less than the Lucky tour, So they didn't even
get to hear these songs live, you know. So maybe
I'll do a little throwback thing at some point.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
But the other thing I wanted to bring up, and
it's a testament to your fan base because it goes
down to teenage girls to men, to moms to and
everybody in between. In an era where it seems like,
and I'm not calling anybody out by name, it's it's
hard to sell concert tickets right now. For some tours,
(12:57):
Whole tours are being canceled, cities are being skipped, you know, postponed,
all that. You are having no issue moving tickets. Your
fans are passionate. It's selling out in record time in
a lot of these cities. So to know that in
a time where the dollar is tight everywhere, no matter
what you know how much you're making tours are being
(13:20):
affected greatly by that, But like you are in a
place right now where your fans are like, we will
cancel Netflix, we will resubscribe in September, we are going
to the Cloud nine tour.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yeah, I mean it is all you know, my fans.
And I think what's special about my concerts is it
obviously comes down to the songs, but it's not just
a concert. It's like an experience. I always say it's
group therapy, and it sounds kind of cringey, but it
is true. Like there are songs where like you can
(13:54):
let out your anger, and there's songs where like if
you cry, you're not the only one crying.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So it's fine, Like it's not gonna be weird.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
And then there's fun songs like it's just it's more
of an event, and I I don't know, I think
the fans kind of the community, they've kind of created
that alongside, like with the with the songs and everything,
and it's just I think it's really beautiful to see
and I'm I, uh, yeah, it's great.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
You are still so early in your career, but it
feels like every move you're making you have spent a
lot of time with and I mean we. You had
visited us right before Cloud nine came out. You were here,
and a couple of days later, I see this blonde
lady all done up, walking in with a massive pink
(14:43):
dress and a raising canes across the street. I was
because you were shooting like some promos. I'm like, my god,
she's all over the place. Yeah, as these opportunities outside
of just the music itself pop up, because you're to
a point where Megan Maroney's a big name in country music,
like your tours are, your dates are selling out. How
do you know what is right to say yes to
(15:04):
and no too? Because I'm sure your team gets approached,
you get approached. There's emails and texts all the time.
How are you making sure like it's not like, yeah,
let's let's spread ourselves out versus like okay, that's right,
these ones are not okay, let's do these two.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
It's truly like a gut thing.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I've never taken any sort of deal or endorsement of
something that I didn't organically already Like yeah, so that's
been easy. Like it's nice when like canes comes to you.
Because I'm like I fucking love Kanes. Like in in college,
my bio was like, oh, can I get a three
fingercumbo mealed extra cane seals in a sprite?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Like that was my bio.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
I was just gonna ask when you go to Cane.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
You know what I mean. So it's like when they
come to me, I'm like, that's an no brainer, like
absolutely yes.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
And I think too, I've I've never taken anything like
just for money because I think that when you do that,
like I'm here to do music, So it's like anything
that else comes needs to be like make sense with
like who I am as a person, and like I
need to like it. So it's kind of just like
(16:09):
not money grabbing is important and because I think like
in the long run, if you don't money grab now,
it'll just you'll have more longevity.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
To and eventually people see through that, right Yeah, Like yeah,
And the Canes thing was like I'm like, I hope
not only you get paid for that, but I hope
you please tell me there's like a Cane's card where
you're like I'm in the family.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah, I think too, Like whenever whatever city I'm in,
like I can like call and they will have like
canes delivered to wherever I'm at.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think it's like a big perk.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Can I tell you I've had a lot of career goals,
comfortable retirement, lake house, I have a new one.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Yeah, at any point, like they'll they'll find someone to
deliver it to me. I'm like like a princess. I
the Canes Princess.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Next album The Canes Princess, and the color is cane sauce.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yes. Can you imagine I could drink that for real?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Why is it so good?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Okay, I'm gonna ask you a question that will I'll
have to wait half a second. Have you tried Dave's
Hot Chicken before? Because I don't want to disrespect Canes.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
It's way different, So it's it's it's gonna go. It's
way different. It's similar, but it's just different. It's if
you get the chance to try, it's not as good
as canes. We were just home in Minneapolis over the
weekend or this past week. I guess there's one in
town here somewhere, but it's Dave's Hot Chicken.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Is fast food fast chicken.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, but you picked the level of hot, so like,
I'm not like a super hot chicken hot guy. So
I did light Mile. Actually, Megan Maroni's just dad joke
the hell out of me. As you as you continue
to move forward career wise, Uh, I am, and especially
(17:55):
a dad of a young girl. It's awesome to see
where ladies and country music are right now. And we
touched on that a little bit last time you're here.
But women are performing in country music unlike they ever
have before. It used to be I'm a country artist,
I'm a country artist. I'm a female country artist. Yeah,
it feels like that has it's gone. Yeah, you are
(18:18):
a big part of that. Laney's a big part of that.
Ella is a big part of that. What does it
mean for you to stand at arguably, and it's never
disrespect to the ladies that came before you, but arguably
the best moment for women that has ever existed in country.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
I think that you know, when there's honest storytelling and
you have like just like a distinct lane and it's
organic and.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Authentic and.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
It just happens, it's natural, And I think, like with
the other there's so many great women in country that
I think like because of the successful we're having is
going to open doors for them, Like I'm so excited
for like all the success Card of.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Faith has been having.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I love McKenzie Carpenter too. We read a lot of
songs together, and I think, like Lacey K. Booth is amazing,
there's so many and I think that like the more
commercial success we have, it opens doors for There's so
many amazing women in Nashville or in country music.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
So there there's a special relationship with country radio because
you have killed streaming. I mean, you've set records, you've
rebranded buildings down the street at one point, but when
it comes to country radio, it's it's a special relationship
where it's like here's your current single. This is somebody
(19:43):
possibly hearing it for the first time, discovering you for
the first time. So knowing that streaming is still big,
social media is still big, what is the relationship that
you with country radio and your fans, Like, why is
that still important to you today?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, I think country radio is always allowed people that
maybe wouldn't choose to go voluntarily stream my music.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Like it allows them to discover me. You know.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I think when I grew up listening to country radio,
like that's they were playing?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
What good music is? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:17):
So I think that if you're someone who uses country
music to discover new artists, like and maybe I'm not
your jam based on like my Instagram and all the
sparkles and shit, like maybe you hear medicine and you're like,
who is that and you're like, oh, it's Mecca Maron
and they're like, oh, I hated her, but that song
is really good, you know what I mean? But no,
(20:37):
I think that country radio is just still so important
to I just think to have that like mainstream and
it's another way that my music is getting out to people.
And like, I want as many people that would like
my music to have access to it and to hear it.
So I feel lucky to have country radio support.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
You have won an award at damn near every award show,
I mean, outside of like one award, the ones that
matter you have won. But when it comes to the
awards and like and the things that are important in
an artist's tenure, right like to you perform at this show,
nominated for this, win this? What are other things that
(21:23):
you're like? This is? This is important to me too,
that a fan might not realize or I mean even
I might not realize.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I think, Like I don't know.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
The most important thing to me is giving back to
my fans, I think, and making them feel like they
have the opportunities.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
That they want with me and my music.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Yeah, so if that means like even like touring as
much as I have, Like I want my fans to
be able to come see me if they listen to
my music all the time. I haven't stopped touring since
twenty twenty two, Like I haven't taken a break. So
I would say that, and then I don't know. I
just I always want to surprise my fans and like
(22:03):
outdo myself. You know. It's I'm always in competition with myself,
Like this was amazing. Like I remember at the MYOK
tour back then, like I was doing my big one,
you know what I mean. I had like the little
heart thing I was sitting in and I remember like
at the start of the MYOK tour, I'm like, how
are we ever going to outdo it? And then like
the Cloud nine tour came. So even when we're on
the Cloud nine tour, we're like, you know, we try
(22:24):
not to think this way, but like, how are we
going to outdo ourselves next time?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But I know we will, But.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
It's just like I always just like to level up
and let my fans grow with me and like just
give them things to.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Be excited about because I don't know. I think I
have like the best job ever.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
And you're killing at it. Congratulations, Thank you, dog Mom,
country music superstar Mega Maroni. Thanks for hanging out.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Thanks thanks for letting her come. She HiT's her nap time.
She finally settled down after being a little menace.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I'll put my hat back. Honestly, attack me.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Honestly, she's scared of men a little it, and I
think it's because we don't have that many minimum around.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
She has a lot of estrogen in
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Her life, a lot of aunties.
Hey, we were really excited to hang out with our
guest today today, and then she brought a friend, and
now I'm even more excited to hang out with your friend.
Not that. Listen, Megan Baroni, you are great, you're a
fun interview. But your dog's here, so get out of
the way.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I mean, yeah, it doesn't get better than this little
sweet face.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Isn't it funny when you become a dog parent that
that is how it gets right. Yeah, hey, you brought.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Have some manner.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
It's all good. We're a dog We're a dog friendly establishment.
He's sitting he's literally guarding mom right now. I'm not promise.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I think she's a little I don't know what's up
with her today.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Over stimulated. All these people are like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
She's like, she's not that cool. I don't know why
you want to interview her.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
He's like, I humble her. She picks up my poop.
It's fine. Is it tough to have a dog and
like have the life that you have At the same time,
I think it makes.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
My life better.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
It's really tough, But I think I have enough help
out on the road that I'm not the one that, like,
you know, fifteen minutes before show goes and takes her outside.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I have someone else.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Unfortunately, ready, you got to delay the show five minutes
because you've done It's actually two.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Boots is becoming such a hot commodity that we have
to take her off site of the arena sometimes to
go to the bathroom because my fans recognize her, so
she can't focus to go to the bathroom.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So, oh, Boots is how far away is Boots from?
Like merch? And what do you?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Oh, Boots merch, we already have it. Yeah we need to.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
We just have to pull the trigger on that and
like upload it. But I'm trying to work out the
details and stuff. But yeah, of course Boots Merch is already.
She's got her own Instagram. It's emo cow Dog.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Emo cow Dog.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
How are things going on the tour because I'm seen
on social media you look like you're having the time
of your life. I know it's still a grind, but
you look like you're like, holy cow, this is it's
all happening.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Yeah, that is a very accurate take. I am having
the best time. It's amazing. I'm still processing that. I
like am playing arenas you know, I think like for
so long, you know, you write the songs and then
a couple of people listen to music and you build,
like you build your fan base, one fan at a time,
(02:36):
and then it's almost like you blink and then you're like, wait,
am I really here?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Like did this?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Many people like plan their evening around and not just
their evening, probably their week and their month around like coming.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
To this show. It's I feel really grateful.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
So it's very easy to have like the best time
every night you are.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
The tour started not long ago. What has what have
been some highlights that like if you look back, look
back like you're eighty five people, oh back in the day,
but look back at the at the first few tour
stops at like, oh, this is awesome, this happened, or
holy cow, this happened.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The two nights in Chicago really blew me away. Like
the United Center, I don't know, we just like drove
by it outside and I was like that place is
huge and I'm playing two nights there, Holy crap, And
just just see you know, like sometimes I can look
out the window and see what's happening outside and it's
just a sea of pink.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
That's been really amazing in every single city.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
The fans show up, show out, And I think the
most notable thing thus far is the two nights at
State Farm Marena in Atlanta, back when it was Phillips Arena.
I saw Justin Bieber there for my second concert ever,
and I was up in like the nosebleeds and that
was in twenty thirteen, so that was thirteen years ago,
(03:58):
and I just like, I don't think even at that time,
like like I said, I thought I was gonna an accountant,
you know, So it wasn't. I wasn't at the Justin
Bieber concert being like, oh my god, this is gonna
be me one day. Like I was just there as.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
A fan, and so I went up to.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Where my seats were and I just like looked out,
Oh you yeah, And it's like, I don't know, I
just feel really grateful. I feel like a lot of
things had to go right to get me to this point.
And so the motto has really just been like being
very grateful and just a lot of gratitude going around
because so many things had to go right, and I've
(04:34):
got like an amazing touring crew, an amazing band, and
they make my life so easy on the road. Everything
is like so routine and stuff too. So it's just
like we're having the best time and it's it's.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
It's like unbelievable kind.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Of you you bring up going to sit up in
that seat right likely mid three hundreds. Yeah, that's something now.
I was going to bring it up before you said
that too. That's something that Kenny Chesney does is he
places massive stadiums. Is at some point, likely after soundcheck,
he'll literally go up all by himself and he'll sit
at one of the last seats in the venue, far
(05:10):
from the stage. And he said, it's because you don't
get the same perspective from the stage, Yeah, as you
would like going out and physically sitting with that person
you know who paid their harder money. Is that something
that helps you boots on the move? Is that all?
Is that something that that helps you gain perspective when
you can go out and do something like that, Because
(05:32):
soundcheck is one thing empty building it fills up, that's
another way. But like to literally go out and be
like holy cow, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
I think it definitely puts things into perspective when you
like are up there and you see how big the
place is. I think Unfortunately, when you play arenas regularly,
you get used to the size of them and you're like, oh,
I feel comfy up here. But like when you go
up in the nosebleeds, it's like that's when I'm like,
I can't believe, like this many people care enough to
(06:03):
like and not only do they show up, they've like
planned their outfits around it, you know what I mean,
Like this is stuff that they've been this is a
concert they've been looking forward to for months, and it's
just really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Especially when I go.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Up in the window, I'm like, you know, I've been
with the people in the pit all night, and I'm
in the lower bowl. I can like see them pretty well.
Then it's like I go up in the window and
I see the people in the nose bleathe and it's
like a whole different perspective. These are like they're having
the best time up here, and they've been the farthest
away the whole time.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
But just to see like.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
They're all experiencing the concert the same way, it feels
like very.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
It's just a really unique experience.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Like when I'm singing beautiful things, I'm like, wow, we're
all here. There is fifty thousand people here, we all
like love the same music, and we're all here with
the same message, and it feels like just very hopeful,
and there's like a lot of love in the room,
and I feel like you can really feel it, and
it's cool to see from.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Top of the arena, bottom everywhere are Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Is it? Is it tough to focus because you shared
an an emotional story about about beautiful things with Saint
Jude and you perform the song there one of the
first times in front of people now knowing and I
see on social media how different crowds react and there's
people singing at the top of their lungs. There's you know,
teenage girls crying harder than they've ever cried before, knowing
(07:26):
that a song like that can mean something different to everybody. Like,
is it tough not to like almost like absorb their
emotions as you're performing it?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah? I think I definitely.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
When I'm like looking out into the crowd, I'm definitely
observing everybody and how they're reacting to it, and it
gets kind of emotional sometimes, But I think more so
I just I feel lucky to have a song that
does that. You know, Like there's certainly like fun songs
on the set that don't make you want to cry,
but to see that like a song that me and
(08:02):
my friends wrote can like impact people and truly like
give them hope and like help them get through situations.
I have parents come up to me all the time.
People come up to me too, like my fans themselves
will say it, but.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
It's especially like.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Crazy, I guess when a parent comes up and is like,
you know, she's really been struggling at school and this
song is the only way she can talk to me
about it, And so like, thank you for writing this song,
because I wouldn't know about.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
What she's going through if it wasn't for that this.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
And it's like when we sat down and wrote the song,
obviously I'm writing it for my niece. Never could imagine
it would have that kind of impact. But then when
you realize it does, it's like, you know, I must be.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Doing what I'm supposed to be doing, because that's cool.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
That and dog mom, Yes, two things you were brought
here for. You brought up seeing the sea of pink.
You know, when you're at a venue and you're able
to see out as people are getting ready to come
to the venue. Do you cause you said when last
time we talked before Cloud nown came out, it was
like it's fun, like you know, it's it's It wasn't
(09:04):
something intentional at first. You did it just because it
was fun. Now it's going to be expected with everything
you do. Yeah, until the end of time. Do you
put pressure on yourself now, like thinking what's next? Or
you're like, it's fun. We'll figure out when we figured out.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I have a very clear vision of where I'm going.
But I will say for right now until October, I've
made a rule to myself that I can't write songs
for my next album until the tour's over because I'm
trying to really enjoy the Pink and.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Enjoy Cloud nine.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
And I just think that like during am I Okay,
those are amazing shows. Like I think when I look
back and however many years I'm gonna be like the
amok tours when I really realize like, oh, this is
like really special. But during am I Okay in the
m ik tour, I.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Had most of nine written. I knew it was pink.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
The Arena tour was booked, it just wasn't announced yet,
so I knew, like when I'm selling out Radio City, yeah,
but I'm having an arena tour next year, so it's
hard to not like be excited about that. So I'm
trying my best to just be in this moment because
I mean to have a sold out arena tour, Like
I don't just want to brush it off and be like, well,
what's next? Like it's like, no, this is amazing, you know,
(10:25):
Like I started writing songs because it's therapeutic, and I
started posting it on the internet and somehow it got
me here. So let's enjoy this and let's not worry
about what's next, because I'm sure great things will come next,
but let's like worry about that when.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
The time is it Is that something that you had
to step back and learn intentionally because as an artist,
you're almost not conditioned to live that way, right, because
it's like Okay, that was great, what's next?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Right, and you're.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Worried about your future, like, oh, I've got to make
sure that if I have the success, how do I
keep it? Like I gotta eighteen steps ahead at all times.
But I think when I like look back on especially
the Lucky era, like I kind of more in the
Lucky era because it was only a year, like I
released Lucky and then one year later I released.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Him My Okay, so it was only green for a year.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
And I wish, I wish I would have taken more
pictures during that era. I wish I would have like,
I don't know, I guess when you're building a career, though,
you've got to kind of be like, you know, bam
ba ba ba bam, and there's.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
That's just like how it is.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
But I'm trying to I guess maybe I'm a little
bit older too now. I'm trying to just be like,
you know what, be proud of, like what yourself and
your team has built together, you know, like enjoy this.
Great things will come after. Because that's how I operate.
I always like I do have the eighteen steps planned ahead,
(11:49):
but I'm not going to act on them yet, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
I'm like, Okay, just save it, save it.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Listen. If you ever wanted to go back and relive
a chapter artists all the time, Mayren Morris is doing
it in August. You could just take one night at
the Ryman and let that project live that night, one
night only.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
So true, Yeah, I need to do something like that
because even I do a surprise song every night, and
I've been playing like songs from Lucky and and my
fans like they love them so much, and it makes
me sad because I'm like, the Vinnies were so small
back then, Like a lot of these people here, you know,
if there's fifteen thousand people here, there's a thousand people
(12:29):
are less than the Lucky tour, So they didn't even
get to hear these songs live, you know. So maybe
I'll do a little throwback thing at some point.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
But the other thing I wanted to bring up, and
it's a testament to your fan base because it goes
down to teenage girls to men, to moms to and
everybody in between. In an era where it seems like,
and I'm not calling anybody out by name, it's it's
hard to sell concert tickets right now. For some tours,
(12:57):
Whole tours are being canceled, cities are being skipped, you know, postponed,
all that. You are having no issue moving tickets. Your
fans are passionate. It's selling out in record time in
a lot of these cities. So to know that in
a time where the dollar is tight everywhere, no matter
what you know how much you're making tours are being
(13:20):
affected greatly by that, But like you are in a
place right now where your fans are like, we will
cancel Netflix, we will resubscribe in September, we are going
to the Cloud nine tour.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Yeah, I mean it is all you know, my fans.
And I think what's special about my concerts is it
obviously comes down to the songs, but it's not just
a concert. It's like an experience. I always say it's
group therapy, and it sounds kind of cringey, but it
is true. Like there are songs where like you can
(13:54):
let out your anger, and there's songs where like if
you cry, you're not the only one crying.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
So it's fine, Like it's not gonna be weird.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
And then there's fun songs like it's just it's more
of an event, and I I don't know, I think
the fans kind of the community, they've kind of created
that alongside, like with the with the songs and everything,
and it's just I think it's really beautiful to see
and I'm I, uh, yeah, it's great.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
You are still so early in your career, but it
feels like every move you're making you have spent a
lot of time with and I mean we. You had
visited us right before Cloud nine came out. You were here,
and a couple of days later, I see this blonde
lady all done up, walking in with a massive pink
(14:43):
dress and a raising canes across the street. I was
because you were shooting like some promos. I'm like, my god,
she's all over the place. Yeah, as these opportunities outside
of just the music itself pop up, because you're to
a point where Megan Maroney's a big name in country music,
like your tours are, your dates are selling out. How
do you know what is right to say yes to
(15:04):
and no too? Because I'm sure your team gets approached,
you get approached. There's emails and texts all the time.
How are you making sure like it's not like, yeah,
let's let's spread ourselves out versus like okay, that's right,
these ones are not okay, let's do these two.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
It's truly like a gut thing.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I've never taken any sort of deal or endorsement of
something that I didn't organically already Like yeah, so that's
been easy. Like it's nice when like canes comes to you.
Because I'm like I fucking love Kanes. Like in in college,
my bio was like, oh, can I get a three
fingercumbo mealed extra cane seals in a sprite?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Like that was my bio.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
I was just gonna ask when you go to Cane.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
You know what I mean. So it's like when they
come to me, I'm like, that's an no brainer, like
absolutely yes.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
And I think too, I've I've never taken anything like
just for money because I think that when you do that,
like I'm here to do music, So it's like anything
that else comes needs to be like make sense with
like who I am as a person, and like I
need to like it. So it's kind of just like
(16:09):
not money grabbing is important and because I think like
in the long run, if you don't money grab now,
it'll just you'll have more longevity.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
To and eventually people see through that, right Yeah, Like yeah,
And the Canes thing was like I'm like, I hope
not only you get paid for that, but I hope
you please tell me there's like a Cane's card where
you're like I'm in the family.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Yeah, I think too, Like whenever whatever city I'm in,
like I can like call and they will have like
canes delivered to wherever I'm at.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think it's like a big perk.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Can I tell you I've had a lot of career goals,
comfortable retirement, lake house, I have a new one.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
Yeah, at any point, like they'll they'll find someone to
deliver it to me. I'm like like a princess. I
the Canes Princess.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Next album The Canes Princess, and the color is cane sauce.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yes. Can you imagine I could drink that for real?
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Why is it so good?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Okay, I'm gonna ask you a question that will I'll
have to wait half a second. Have you tried Dave's
Hot Chicken before? Because I don't want to disrespect Canes.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
It's way different, So it's it's it's gonna go. It's
way different. It's similar, but it's just different. It's if
you get the chance to try, it's not as good
as canes. We were just home in Minneapolis over the
weekend or this past week. I guess there's one in
town here somewhere, but it's Dave's Hot Chicken.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Is fast food fast chicken.
Speaker 1 (17:33):
Yeah, but you picked the level of hot, so like,
I'm not like a super hot chicken hot guy. So
I did light Mile. Actually, Megan Maroni's just dad joke
the hell out of me. As you as you continue
to move forward career wise, Uh, I am, and especially
(17:55):
a dad of a young girl. It's awesome to see
where ladies and country music are right now. And we
touched on that a little bit last time you're here.
But women are performing in country music unlike they ever
have before. It used to be I'm a country artist,
I'm a country artist. I'm a female country artist. Yeah,
it feels like that has it's gone. Yeah, you are
(18:18):
a big part of that. Laney's a big part of that.
Ella is a big part of that. What does it
mean for you to stand at arguably, and it's never
disrespect to the ladies that came before you, but arguably
the best moment for women that has ever existed in country.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
It's amazing.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
I think that you know, when there's honest storytelling and
you have like just like a distinct lane and it's
organic and.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Authentic and.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
It just happens, it's natural, And I think, like with
the other there's so many great women in country that
I think like because of the successful we're having is
going to open doors for them, Like I'm so excited
for like all the success Card of.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Faith has been having.
Speaker 3 (19:05):
I love McKenzie Carpenter too. We read a lot of
songs together, and I think, like Lacey K. Booth is amazing,
there's so many and I think that like the more
commercial success we have, it opens doors for There's so
many amazing women in Nashville or in country music.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
So there there's a special relationship with country radio because
you have killed streaming. I mean, you've set records, you've
rebranded buildings down the street at one point, but when
it comes to country radio, it's it's a special relationship
where it's like here's your current single. This is somebody
(19:43):
possibly hearing it for the first time, discovering you for
the first time. So knowing that streaming is still big,
social media is still big, what is the relationship that
you with country radio and your fans, Like, why is
that still important to you today?
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, I think country radio is always allowed people that
maybe wouldn't choose to go voluntarily stream my music.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Like it allows them to discover me. You know.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I think when I grew up listening to country radio,
like that's they were playing?
Speaker 2 (20:16):
What good music is? You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:17):
So I think that if you're someone who uses country
music to discover new artists, like and maybe I'm not
your jam based on like my Instagram and all the
sparkles and shit, like maybe you hear medicine and you're like,
who is that and you're like, oh, it's Mecca Maron
and they're like, oh, I hated her, but that song
is really good, you know what I mean? But no,
(20:37):
I think that country radio is just still so important
to I just think to have that like mainstream and
it's another way that my music is getting out to people.
And like, I want as many people that would like
my music to have access to it and to hear it.
So I feel lucky to have country radio support.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
You have won an award at damn near every award show,
I mean, outside of like one award, the ones that
matter you have won. But when it comes to the
awards and like and the things that are important in
an artist's tenure, right like to you perform at this show,
nominated for this, win this? What are other things that
(21:23):
you're like? This is? This is important to me too,
that a fan might not realize or I mean even
I might not realize.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I think, Like I don't know.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
The most important thing to me is giving back to
my fans, I think, and making them feel like they
have the opportunities.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
That they want with me and my music.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Yeah, so if that means like even like touring as
much as I have, Like I want my fans to
be able to come see me if they listen to
my music all the time. I haven't stopped touring since
twenty twenty two, Like I haven't taken a break. So
I would say that, and then I don't know. I
just I always want to surprise my fans and like
(22:03):
outdo myself. You know. It's I'm always in competition with myself,
Like this was amazing. Like I remember at the MYOK
tour back then, like I was doing my big one,
you know what I mean. I had like the little
heart thing I was sitting in and I remember like
at the start of the MYOK tour, I'm like, how
are we ever going to outdo it? And then like
the Cloud nine tour came. So even when we're on
the Cloud nine tour, we're like, you know, we try
(22:24):
not to think this way, but like, how are we
going to outdo ourselves next time?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
But I know we will, But.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
It's just like I always just like to level up
and let my fans grow with me and like just
give them things to.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Be excited about because I don't know. I think I
have like the best job ever.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
And you're killing at it. Congratulations, Thank you, dog Mom,
country music superstar Mega Maroni. Thanks for hanging out.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Thanks thanks for letting her come. She HiT's her nap time.
She finally settled down after being a little menace.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
I'll put my hat back. Honestly, attack me.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Honestly, she's scared of men a little it, and I
think it's because we don't have that many minimum around.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
She has a lot of estrogen in
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Her life, a lot of aunties.
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