January 13, 2026 • 19 mins
Country star Megan Moroney sits down with Wayne D to dive into her brand-new album and share the story behind its bold pink aesthetic. She opens up about why the color means so much to her, the creative process behind the music, and some of the toughest moments she’s faced in her career. It’s an honest, inspiring conversation you won’t want to miss!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wayne d catching up with somebody who has avoided us
because of alcohol consumption.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm kidding, that's not why. That's not why.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Megan n Rumors, Meg and Roney, welcome back to the studio.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Glad to have you, dear, good to see y'all.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I gotta ask because obviously you didn't just come out
with all pink. You made a statement like this is
part of my next era of my music?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Was that a goal to like.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Bring the colors with where you're at musically and like
to make it more of it's cool because it's not
just like here's my song.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's kind of like, hey, here's a whole new era,
here's a new experience, right I yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I think with Lucky it was just naturally green and gold.
So that was that kind of a thing. And I
think I realized during the miok era that people I
was associating colors with my albums, but so did other people,
So am I okay? I would say all the venues
were about ninety five percent blue, but there was little
spots of greens, like full head to toe green, and
(00:58):
I took that as okay. There like a Lucky like
number one fan of Lucky and am I okay? Is fine,
but they're here for lucky. So I think even just
seeing that last year, as soon as I got you know,
as soon as I put out am I okay to
everyone was like, so what's the next color? Are you
playing the next color? And it kind of just I
already saw colors when I wrote songs, but it even like,
(01:20):
I guess, ramped it up even more because I'm like, oh,
now everyone's waiting on the color. I gotta really decide this.
So about like three songs into writing Cloud nine, I
was like, it's pink.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Gotta be pink.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
We're talking before we hear record here about my daughter
freaking out coming to the show. I was like, she
was like, oh, her new color is pink. And at
that point, which I should have known this already, this
being my job, I go her color, well, yeah, it's
new music, so a new color. And I go, that's cool,
I think, and she goes, it's very Taylor Swift vibes.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Is that that's a compliment, right.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Like, oh yeah, yeah, because she's done a great job
at making it more than just her music, making it
an experience. Has that always been the goal for you
to make it more than like, I don't just want
to be a song you listen to.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I want to be like a whole vibe for you.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah, I mean I think that I always have my
hands in every single part of my career, so it
just kind of happens naturally. But yeah, I love that
her shows are like an experience. I think my shows
are like that too, But yeah, it's definitely a compliment.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Obviously, it's everyone's talking end of year, like here's the
most listened to, the most downloaded, the most streamed.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
And all that.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
We saw the massive takeover down the street here of
an entire building.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Streams.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's a different platform than the IHEARTRADIOPP which you should download.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
And used all the time.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
But it's that side of the success because obviously you
write the songs and you want to perform for people,
and maybe you don't necessarily even think about the streaming
success that you could have or where people are getting
the music. When you see numbers like that you've done
this year, is it like, is there a little holy
shit there?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I think yeah, definitely, When you like, like I went
out and took pictures down there, and when you see
like that many streams, I'm like, definitely can't count that high.
So it's definitely cool, But I don't focus too much
on that because I I've learned from like some mentors
that like you never you've got to stay kind of
like even keeled throughout the whole thing, because when really
(03:25):
cool things happen like that, it's amazing. But that's not
always going to be the case. So as an artist,
I think isn't a creative just as a creative person,
it's better for me to just be like, okay, cool,
and then I keep it pushing, you know, Like I
think that says like when I see that, I'm like, oh,
I have the best fans in the world.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
So when it comes to things that you chase for, like.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I don't want to say fulfillment, but like you have
goals like I want to get to this, right, I
want to get to this.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
For a lot of artists, it's like.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh, I want Entertainers of the Year or I want
ACM here or CMA there, and they'll get to that
and go, oh wow, how I wanted more.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
It didn't do what I thought it would do better. Right,
What are some of the.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Lessons you've already learned career wise that you're like, oh,
I want to get that, but you got there and you're.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Like, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I mean I think with any I always say like
winning awards is amazing and there's it's always nice to
be validated by the industry or whether it's fan voted,
whatever it is. Yeah, no one's ever going to be
mad about winning awards. But like I said, I think
it's like how you act when you don't win and
being like like, you can't be hard on yourself for that,
because what matters to me is like I write a
(04:32):
song like beautiful Things and I have dad's writing in
moms writing in kids themselves being like this song saved
my life and like that kind of stuff to me
is what makes me like grateful to be able to
do it. It makes me want to write more songs
like that, and it makes me I've always felt for
some reason that this was like my purpose, especially when
I first started writing songs that like where I would
(04:54):
get messages from people that are like, you know, I
wanted to die and the song helped me. And I'm like, like,
when you get into this, you don't know that you
have that kind of influence on people. So when you
do realize you have that influence. I think that's what
I prioritize. But goals wise, I have random goals like
I want to wax.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Figure that's that's dope actually.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
And like randomly, I want a song that like gets
played in every like TJ Max, like every thirty minutes,
like like you know what I mean, random goals just
because I'd be like cool, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
The other thing about that is because like all we've
gone through the grocery store. I live like thirty minutes
south here, so like I'll go to the grocery store
on a Saturday and a random jam comes on at
it's a Kroger. Like they could totally put out an
album and call it Kroger Cuts and.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I would buy the hell out of that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right, So like life goals, I.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Can find random stuff. But the main purpose I think
of all this is to just make music that I
experience things and obviously was given a gift of songwriting,
and so I want to use that in a way.
As long as I'm writing and being authentic, then I'm like,
the words are great, but I just really care about
touching people and helping them get through shit.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Well, so That's interesting because a lot of artists, and
I'm not saying you in general, but I'm generalizing a
songwriter like just want to write songs. Yeah, you got feelings,
you got words. They end up melting together beautifully. I'd
imagine the goal wasn't always like I just want to
make people feel something. Right, If it wasn't, at what
point you talk about, you know, the songs connecting and
(06:31):
saving lives.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
At what point we were like, oh, this is bigger
than I thought it would be.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah, I mean at first, I was just writing songs
to get through my life because I didn't have any
other outlet, and that was like one thing where I
could write about it and then I would immediately feel
better about the situation because it's almost I explain it
to people, like this situation happened to me. I can
write about it. But now I put it out in
the world to help other people, and that doesn't I
just I don't carry that with me anymore. I carry
(06:57):
now I get to share this and like we can
all heal together and we can all enjoyed the same
music together. And I think it was when I was overseas,
and I can't remember if it was Australia or Europe first.
But when I heard people like singing Tennessee orange and
people like tearing up over Tennessee orange like over there,
that was when I was like, oh, this is like
way bigger than me, just like posting a song on
(07:20):
TikTok and seeing if people like it or not, and
like putting Georgia and Tennessee fans against each other like
this is like how do y'all even know, like what
the SEC rivalry is, you know? And yeah, I think
that was the moment where I was like, oh, this
is this is bigger than I ever imagined.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So I note there wasn't lots of a rivalry this
year the way things went to Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I was promised national championship tickets if we make it there.
So since it's some prayers up for the dog.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Listen, we'll make listen.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Well, we're Switzerland when it comes to college football because
I'm from Minnesota, she's from from Vegas. We're hearing out
so there isn't like we we're bandwagoners, right, So if
you tell us we're Dogs fans for the rest of
the year, go dougs, learn how to break. I'm gonna
get my ass beat next time I go to Kroger now.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
But it's fine. You're worth it.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
When you look back, you're and I say, look back
right on a career that probably still feels so new
to you. But when you look back, you obviously talked
about connecting with fans. What are other moments that you're like,
I'm even in what we do, there's moments that we're like, Man,
I'm where I'm supposed to be. Like that that happened,
and now I know where I'm supposed to be. What
(08:36):
are a handful of those moments for you that have
happened maybe recently?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh, man, I mean it happens all the time. I
feel like since the beginning of my career, stuff has
happened where I'm like, this is someone else intervening in
my life, like that, this is like what I'm supposed
to be doing. The fact that my first show is
that the George's Theater opening for Chase Rice because he
just so happened to be at the sorority that I chose, Like,
I go back all the time and I I think,
what if I didn't rush Kad in college? That's like
(09:03):
such a small thing, But we were the only sorty
that had a concert for a flamthpy thing, you know,
So if we didn't, if I was in a different sorty,
the different flampy thing, I would have never even had
the opportunity to open for anybody. That would have led
me to where I'm at now. So it started since
the beginning, and I don't know, it happens all the time.
There was a Oh I found out too, I might
(09:24):
rill into signs and stuff. Wait when is this airing?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Actually, this won't air If you have something time sensitive,
we'll we'll chop it out and save.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Okay, Well in twenty fourteen, yeah, because it's been eleven years.
On October fourth, twenty fourteen, I met Casey musk Graves
outside of her bus and my dad pulled up the
picture and that's the iPhone said that, So I'm not
like just creepy and like at eleven fifty eight on
(09:55):
but on. So that was October fourth, twenty fourteen. Eleven
years later, October fourth, twenty twenty five, we got a
call from her manager saying that she was gonna be
on my song. And it's like exactly eleven years later. Oh,
and we found out at nine oh nine, and we've
been obsessed with nine because of Cloud nine. Yeah, so
it's just like when things like that happen, I'm like,
(10:15):
there's no way that this is all just like coincidental,
and I'm just like I'm just here and just got lucky,
Like there's there's no way.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So which really we started telling this story in the
ninth minute of the interview too, But I.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Mean, okay, we're getting we're getting all over wild.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
We'll clip that.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Just let us know when that's okay, because I'd imagine
that's a track listing reveal type thing.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, just let us know when you know. Weird January nine.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Country music is such a cool family, and I know
that you have a unique relationship with Kenny Chesney. And
Kenny is a guy that we've gotten close with over
the years and like talk about just I mean, he
could get mobbed anywhere he went. But also if you
talk to him, it's like it's like he doesn't get
that he's Kenny Jacty.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
What was that? How did that friendship form?
Speaker 1 (11:10):
And what is support like that from somebody who is
widely established? Right, and you're still I don't want to
say you're new, but you're still very much establishing what
you want your career to be, right, what does this
support like.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That and how did that mean to you? And how
did that friendship start.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So we first went out to breakfast when I found
out I was going to open for him on the
Sun Goes Down tour. So it was early twenty twenty four.
We met for the first time, just so that our
first time meeting wasn't at the first show. And I
remember calling my mom and being like, I'm on my
way to breakfast with Kenny Chesney and my mom was
like nah. And now like he had this book come
(11:45):
out and he wrote my mom a personal like signed book,
you know what I mean. Like my mom and him
are friends now too, And it's just crazy how he
is Kenny Chesney. But he is everything you hoped he
would be. Generous. He is like kind to everyone. He
his team is incredible. Being able to learn from him
(12:07):
as a touring artist like definitely helped me on stage.
And I would watch him side stage every single night
because I'm trying to take notes. He's He's like, oh yeah,
this is the tenth time we've filled out the stadium
and I'm like, like, no chance in hell, I'm going
on the bus and like watching a movie, like I'm
like standing side stage taking notes, And I think just
(12:29):
his mentorship, like whether it's you know, with the business,
whether it's with touring, like outside of the business, just relationships, friendships.
He always he's gone through a lot and he has
a lot of advice to give, and he's just he
always checks in, makes sure like me and my whole
team are good, and he's just like so kind. And
(12:50):
I remember I remember at the very beginning, I was like,
I can't believe, like Kenny Jesney and I are friends,
Like this is crazy, And even though now I'm way
more used to it, sometimes I'm so like when he
puts his cowboy hat on and like has the show,
I'm like, damn, that's gay, Jess.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
It's funny. Before that though, You're like, I know.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
It was just a guy who had a beatie on
when I met him, so I'm like, oh, he's just
like a normal guy. And then when I saw him
at the tour for the first time with his hat on,
I was like, it's like putting on his superhero cape.
It's like, oh, shoot, I.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Also want to touch base with you on we are
as country radio. We are blessed to live in the
air that we do because the music being made by
the females in this genre is arguably the best it's
ever been, with the strength of artists, the strength of shows.
You have artists like you, artists like Kelsey Ballerini who
(13:46):
a handful of years we didn't know their names and
now they're headlining bridge Stone Arena, right which is a
massive deal. What does it mean for you to have
a piece of what's happening with females and country music
right now?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
I think it's amazing. I mean, we all have such
distinct lanes too, and a unique perspective that I think
just feels really authentic. And thanks to social media, we
can promote ourselves and get the word out about our
music that way. And it's just really cool to see
so many women killing it, you know. It's like we're
(14:22):
giving the guys a run for their money. We're like, hello,
we're here. We're very much here.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
As you should.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
There is a weight that comes with that, though, and
a responsibility that comes at especially with the grind. How
do you unplug and what are signs you have for
yourself and signs you have for your team, Like, hey, Megan,
need's mental break here for a little bit. How do
you make sure that that stays a priority for you.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I think over the years, my fan or my team
has been really good at making time off for me.
They know about what I can mentally handle. So the
breaks are like already they're planned out ahead of time,
which I learned early in my career, Like, Okay, I
can't go to the UK for four weeks because like
by the fourth week, I'm not good. So I think
(15:11):
it's just taken time to get that balance. But honestly,
I'm obsessed with my job, and I think it's in
a healthy way. But it's one of those things where
like I used to write songs and play guitar, like
with my dad to like on weekends when there's nothing
else to do. So it's always been like fun for me,
and I feel grateful that it's still fun, you know,
(15:32):
Like I've got great people around me and amazing fans
that make it really enjoyable. And sure there's days that
it's harder and it sucks, but I think when you
zoom out and you can just tough it out, it's
like this is so great. You know like this, the
stars aligning and stuff like this. It takes so much
(15:53):
luck and God and timing for all of this to happen.
And I just try to take every moment, try to
be in the moment and not take it for granted.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Last thing I want to ask, because I know we
got to run. We are the second you leave diving
into day one of our forty eight hours Saint Jude Radio,
don we were talking to you were just there. But
also Saint Jude has been something that once you learned
about it, you're like, I'm in Yeah, I've heard You've
even something about what was it with dresses, Like you've
donated dress?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh yeah, I've donated some dresses of course.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
So if you can real quick, whether it be what
Saint Jude means to you or a Saint Jude's story
that as I say, Saint Jude, you're like the first
memory that pops up, if you could share with us,
to share with our audiences.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yeah. So I got to tour Saint Jude I think
a year ago, and it just like really changed my life.
I think when you go in there, there's so much
love in the halls, and there's it's one of those
things where you want to help, Like you go there
and you're like, like I was ready to drain my
bank account because I'm like, I want to do everything
(16:58):
I can to help these families. They're in such good spirits.
The nurses are so amazing, and I don't think you
get it until you really tour it. So I highly
recommend if I don't know even know if that's open
to everybody or whatever the situation is, but like it
really did change my life seeing it, and I've I've
made it a tradition to go there every year now.
(17:20):
I just went the other day, and I just want
to end my year that way, you know, to give
back and just show up for these kids that are
having a really hard time if you can just make
them smile and their family smile for just a second.
Like the people that work there were just saying, like,
we don't see them smile very often, so this means
so much to them. And whether it's you know, a
(17:42):
financial donation or my time and both, I just like,
I love Saint Jude and I got to sing beautiful
things for them the other day and it was the
hardest thing I've done in a while because the families.
Some of the families were like very emotional about it,
but it was a really cool moment. I'm grateful to
have a platform where I can write songs that mean
(18:03):
different things to different people, and maybe it gives them
a little bit of hope during a really hard time.
And it really everything I can do to help them.
It's like change my life going there. So highly recommend
anyone doing their research and figuring out what Saint Jude
is all about. It's it's amazing, it's.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Unreal the more you learn what happens. Yeah, and then
the families don't.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Have a bill, they don't have a bill, and they
make it. They also accommodate the families, like these poor
sick kids have brothers and sisters, and you don't think about,
you know, if you're not in a situation, you don't
think about like what it Oh, this kid has to
be away from their siblings. They allow the whole families
to just like everyone bring it on in. You don't
pay a bill, and they try to make it as
(18:44):
best they can for a really tough situation.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Listen, we're wrapping things up.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Thank you for the time, Thank you for coming down
to Broadway, because sometimes Broadway sucks.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Most most times it sucks. But thank you. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Thank you. Should we get on a pedal tavern?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I bet you won't.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
I will for real, Like when the album comes out,
we should do something.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
We would do a pedal tavern and make it pink
an alcohol sponsored and free rides.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Free rides. We just like ask people. I'll just like
look like a bachelorette. I'll like have a little veil
on and.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Then but every song comes on, you have to go.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
This is my job because we hear that ship all
summer down the copy instrue.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
They can't
Wayne d catching up with somebody who has avoided us
because of alcohol consumption.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm kidding, that's not why. That's not why.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Megan n Rumors, Meg and Roney, welcome back to the studio.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Glad to have you, dear, good to see y'all.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I gotta ask because obviously you didn't just come out
with all pink. You made a statement like this is
part of my next era of my music?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Was that a goal to like.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Bring the colors with where you're at musically and like
to make it more of it's cool because it's not
just like here's my song.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's kind of like, hey, here's a whole new era,
here's a new experience, right I yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I think with Lucky it was just naturally green and gold.
So that was that kind of a thing. And I
think I realized during the miok era that people I
was associating colors with my albums, but so did other people,
So am I okay? I would say all the venues
were about ninety five percent blue, but there was little
spots of greens, like full head to toe green, and
(00:58):
I took that as okay. There like a Lucky like
number one fan of Lucky and am I okay? Is fine,
but they're here for lucky. So I think even just
seeing that last year, as soon as I got you know,
as soon as I put out am I okay to
everyone was like, so what's the next color? Are you
playing the next color? And it kind of just I
already saw colors when I wrote songs, but it even like,
(01:20):
I guess, ramped it up even more because I'm like, oh,
now everyone's waiting on the color. I gotta really decide this.
So about like three songs into writing Cloud nine, I
was like, it's pink.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Gotta be pink.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
We're talking before we hear record here about my daughter
freaking out coming to the show. I was like, she
was like, oh, her new color is pink. And at
that point, which I should have known this already, this
being my job, I go her color, well, yeah, it's
new music, so a new color. And I go, that's cool,
I think, and she goes, it's very Taylor Swift vibes.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Is that that's a compliment, right.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Like, oh yeah, yeah, because she's done a great job
at making it more than just her music, making it
an experience. Has that always been the goal for you
to make it more than like, I don't just want
to be a song you listen to.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I want to be like a whole vibe for you.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah, I mean I think that I always have my
hands in every single part of my career, so it
just kind of happens naturally. But yeah, I love that
her shows are like an experience. I think my shows
are like that too, But yeah, it's definitely a compliment.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Obviously, it's everyone's talking end of year, like here's the
most listened to, the most downloaded, the most streamed.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
And all that.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
We saw the massive takeover down the street here of
an entire building.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Streams.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
It's a different platform than the IHEARTRADIOPP which you should download.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
And used all the time.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
But it's that side of the success because obviously you
write the songs and you want to perform for people,
and maybe you don't necessarily even think about the streaming
success that you could have or where people are getting
the music. When you see numbers like that you've done
this year, is it like, is there a little holy
shit there?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I think yeah, definitely, When you like, like I went
out and took pictures down there, and when you see
like that many streams, I'm like, definitely can't count that high.
So it's definitely cool, But I don't focus too much
on that because I I've learned from like some mentors
that like you never you've got to stay kind of
like even keeled throughout the whole thing, because when really
(03:25):
cool things happen like that, it's amazing. But that's not
always going to be the case. So as an artist,
I think isn't a creative just as a creative person,
it's better for me to just be like, okay, cool,
and then I keep it pushing, you know, Like I
think that says like when I see that, I'm like, oh,
I have the best fans in the world.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
So when it comes to things that you chase for, like.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
I don't want to say fulfillment, but like you have
goals like I want to get to this, right, I
want to get to this.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
For a lot of artists, it's like.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Oh, I want Entertainers of the Year or I want
ACM here or CMA there, and they'll get to that
and go, oh wow, how I wanted more.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
It didn't do what I thought it would do better. Right,
What are some of the.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Lessons you've already learned career wise that you're like, oh,
I want to get that, but you got there and you're.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Like, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I mean I think with any I always say like
winning awards is amazing and there's it's always nice to
be validated by the industry or whether it's fan voted,
whatever it is. Yeah, no one's ever going to be
mad about winning awards. But like I said, I think
it's like how you act when you don't win and
being like like, you can't be hard on yourself for that,
because what matters to me is like I write a
(04:32):
song like beautiful Things and I have dad's writing in
moms writing in kids themselves being like this song saved
my life and like that kind of stuff to me
is what makes me like grateful to be able to
do it. It makes me want to write more songs
like that, and it makes me I've always felt for
some reason that this was like my purpose, especially when
I first started writing songs that like where I would
(04:54):
get messages from people that are like, you know, I
wanted to die and the song helped me. And I'm like, like,
when you get into this, you don't know that you
have that kind of influence on people. So when you
do realize you have that influence. I think that's what
I prioritize. But goals wise, I have random goals like
I want to wax.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Figure that's that's dope actually.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
And like randomly, I want a song that like gets
played in every like TJ Max, like every thirty minutes,
like like you know what I mean, random goals just
because I'd be like cool, you know.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Listen.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
The other thing about that is because like all we've
gone through the grocery store. I live like thirty minutes
south here, so like I'll go to the grocery store
on a Saturday and a random jam comes on at
it's a Kroger. Like they could totally put out an
album and call it Kroger Cuts and.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
I would buy the hell out of that.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Right, So like life goals, I.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Can find random stuff. But the main purpose I think
of all this is to just make music that I
experience things and obviously was given a gift of songwriting,
and so I want to use that in a way.
As long as I'm writing and being authentic, then I'm like,
the words are great, but I just really care about
touching people and helping them get through shit.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Well, so That's interesting because a lot of artists, and
I'm not saying you in general, but I'm generalizing a
songwriter like just want to write songs. Yeah, you got feelings,
you got words. They end up melting together beautifully. I'd
imagine the goal wasn't always like I just want to
make people feel something. Right, If it wasn't, at what
point you talk about, you know, the songs connecting and
(06:31):
saving lives.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
At what point we were like, oh, this is bigger
than I thought it would be.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Yeah, I mean at first, I was just writing songs
to get through my life because I didn't have any
other outlet, and that was like one thing where I
could write about it and then I would immediately feel
better about the situation because it's almost I explain it
to people, like this situation happened to me. I can
write about it. But now I put it out in
the world to help other people, and that doesn't I
just I don't carry that with me anymore. I carry
(06:57):
now I get to share this and like we can
all heal together and we can all enjoyed the same
music together. And I think it was when I was overseas,
and I can't remember if it was Australia or Europe first.
But when I heard people like singing Tennessee orange and
people like tearing up over Tennessee orange like over there,
that was when I was like, oh, this is like
way bigger than me, just like posting a song on
(07:20):
TikTok and seeing if people like it or not, and
like putting Georgia and Tennessee fans against each other like
this is like how do y'all even know, like what
the SEC rivalry is, you know? And yeah, I think
that was the moment where I was like, oh, this
is this is bigger than I ever imagined.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
So I note there wasn't lots of a rivalry this
year the way things went to Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
I was promised national championship tickets if we make it there.
So since it's some prayers up for the dog.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Listen, we'll make listen.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Well, we're Switzerland when it comes to college football because
I'm from Minnesota, she's from from Vegas. We're hearing out
so there isn't like we we're bandwagoners, right, So if
you tell us we're Dogs fans for the rest of
the year, go dougs, learn how to break. I'm gonna
get my ass beat next time I go to Kroger now.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
But it's fine. You're worth it.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
When you look back, you're and I say, look back
right on a career that probably still feels so new
to you. But when you look back, you obviously talked
about connecting with fans. What are other moments that you're like,
I'm even in what we do, there's moments that we're like, Man,
I'm where I'm supposed to be. Like that that happened,
and now I know where I'm supposed to be. What
(08:36):
are a handful of those moments for you that have
happened maybe recently?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh, man, I mean it happens all the time. I
feel like since the beginning of my career, stuff has
happened where I'm like, this is someone else intervening in
my life, like that, this is like what I'm supposed
to be doing. The fact that my first show is
that the George's Theater opening for Chase Rice because he
just so happened to be at the sorority that I chose, Like,
I go back all the time and I I think,
what if I didn't rush Kad in college? That's like
(09:03):
such a small thing, But we were the only sorty
that had a concert for a flamthpy thing, you know,
So if we didn't, if I was in a different sorty,
the different flampy thing, I would have never even had
the opportunity to open for anybody. That would have led
me to where I'm at now. So it started since
the beginning, and I don't know, it happens all the time.
There was a Oh I found out too, I might
(09:24):
rill into signs and stuff. Wait when is this airing?
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Actually, this won't air If you have something time sensitive,
we'll we'll chop it out and save.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Okay, Well in twenty fourteen, yeah, because it's been eleven years.
On October fourth, twenty fourteen, I met Casey musk Graves
outside of her bus and my dad pulled up the
picture and that's the iPhone said that, So I'm not
like just creepy and like at eleven fifty eight on
(09:55):
but on. So that was October fourth, twenty fourteen. Eleven
years later, October fourth, twenty twenty five, we got a
call from her manager saying that she was gonna be
on my song. And it's like exactly eleven years later. Oh,
and we found out at nine oh nine, and we've
been obsessed with nine because of Cloud nine. Yeah, so
it's just like when things like that happen, I'm like,
(10:15):
there's no way that this is all just like coincidental,
and I'm just like I'm just here and just got lucky,
Like there's there's no way.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
So which really we started telling this story in the
ninth minute of the interview too, But I.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Mean, okay, we're getting we're getting all over wild.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
We'll clip that.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Just let us know when that's okay, because I'd imagine
that's a track listing reveal type thing.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, just let us know when you know. Weird January nine.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Country music is such a cool family, and I know
that you have a unique relationship with Kenny Chesney. And
Kenny is a guy that we've gotten close with over
the years and like talk about just I mean, he
could get mobbed anywhere he went. But also if you
talk to him, it's like it's like he doesn't get
that he's Kenny Jacty.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
What was that? How did that friendship form?
Speaker 1 (11:10):
And what is support like that from somebody who is
widely established? Right, and you're still I don't want to
say you're new, but you're still very much establishing what
you want your career to be, right, what does this
support like.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
That and how did that mean to you? And how
did that friendship start.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
So we first went out to breakfast when I found
out I was going to open for him on the
Sun Goes Down tour. So it was early twenty twenty four.
We met for the first time, just so that our
first time meeting wasn't at the first show. And I
remember calling my mom and being like, I'm on my
way to breakfast with Kenny Chesney and my mom was
like nah. And now like he had this book come
(11:45):
out and he wrote my mom a personal like signed book,
you know what I mean. Like my mom and him
are friends now too, And it's just crazy how he
is Kenny Chesney. But he is everything you hoped he
would be. Generous. He is like kind to everyone. He
his team is incredible. Being able to learn from him
(12:07):
as a touring artist like definitely helped me on stage.
And I would watch him side stage every single night
because I'm trying to take notes. He's He's like, oh yeah,
this is the tenth time we've filled out the stadium
and I'm like, like, no chance in hell, I'm going
on the bus and like watching a movie, like I'm
like standing side stage taking notes, And I think just
(12:29):
his mentorship, like whether it's you know, with the business,
whether it's with touring, like outside of the business, just relationships, friendships.
He always he's gone through a lot and he has
a lot of advice to give, and he's just he
always checks in, makes sure like me and my whole
team are good, and he's just like so kind. And
(12:50):
I remember I remember at the very beginning, I was like,
I can't believe, like Kenny Jesney and I are friends,
Like this is crazy, And even though now I'm way
more used to it, sometimes I'm so like when he
puts his cowboy hat on and like has the show,
I'm like, damn, that's gay, Jess.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
It's funny. Before that though, You're like, I know.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
It was just a guy who had a beatie on
when I met him, so I'm like, oh, he's just
like a normal guy. And then when I saw him
at the tour for the first time with his hat on,
I was like, it's like putting on his superhero cape.
It's like, oh, shoot, I.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Also want to touch base with you on we are
as country radio. We are blessed to live in the
air that we do because the music being made by
the females in this genre is arguably the best it's
ever been, with the strength of artists, the strength of shows.
You have artists like you, artists like Kelsey Ballerini who
(13:46):
a handful of years we didn't know their names and
now they're headlining bridge Stone Arena, right which is a
massive deal. What does it mean for you to have
a piece of what's happening with females and country music
right now?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
I think it's amazing. I mean, we all have such
distinct lanes too, and a unique perspective that I think
just feels really authentic. And thanks to social media, we
can promote ourselves and get the word out about our
music that way. And it's just really cool to see
so many women killing it, you know. It's like we're
(14:22):
giving the guys a run for their money. We're like, hello,
we're here. We're very much here.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
As you should.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
There is a weight that comes with that, though, and
a responsibility that comes at especially with the grind. How
do you unplug and what are signs you have for
yourself and signs you have for your team, Like, hey, Megan,
need's mental break here for a little bit. How do
you make sure that that stays a priority for you.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
I think over the years, my fan or my team
has been really good at making time off for me.
They know about what I can mentally handle. So the
breaks are like already they're planned out ahead of time,
which I learned early in my career, Like, Okay, I
can't go to the UK for four weeks because like
by the fourth week, I'm not good. So I think
(15:11):
it's just taken time to get that balance. But honestly,
I'm obsessed with my job, and I think it's in
a healthy way. But it's one of those things where
like I used to write songs and play guitar, like
with my dad to like on weekends when there's nothing
else to do. So it's always been like fun for me,
and I feel grateful that it's still fun, you know,
(15:32):
Like I've got great people around me and amazing fans
that make it really enjoyable. And sure there's days that
it's harder and it sucks, but I think when you
zoom out and you can just tough it out, it's
like this is so great. You know like this, the
stars aligning and stuff like this. It takes so much
(15:53):
luck and God and timing for all of this to happen.
And I just try to take every moment, try to
be in the moment and not take it for granted.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
Last thing I want to ask, because I know we
got to run. We are the second you leave diving
into day one of our forty eight hours Saint Jude Radio,
don we were talking to you were just there. But
also Saint Jude has been something that once you learned
about it, you're like, I'm in Yeah, I've heard You've
even something about what was it with dresses, Like you've
donated dress?
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Oh yeah, I've donated some dresses of course.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
So if you can real quick, whether it be what
Saint Jude means to you or a Saint Jude's story
that as I say, Saint Jude, you're like the first
memory that pops up, if you could share with us,
to share with our audiences.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yeah. So I got to tour Saint Jude I think
a year ago, and it just like really changed my life.
I think when you go in there, there's so much
love in the halls, and there's it's one of those
things where you want to help, Like you go there
and you're like, like I was ready to drain my
bank account because I'm like, I want to do everything
(16:58):
I can to help these families. They're in such good spirits.
The nurses are so amazing, and I don't think you
get it until you really tour it. So I highly
recommend if I don't know even know if that's open
to everybody or whatever the situation is, but like it
really did change my life seeing it, and I've I've
made it a tradition to go there every year now.
(17:20):
I just went the other day, and I just want
to end my year that way, you know, to give
back and just show up for these kids that are
having a really hard time if you can just make
them smile and their family smile for just a second.
Like the people that work there were just saying, like,
we don't see them smile very often, so this means
so much to them. And whether it's you know, a
(17:42):
financial donation or my time and both, I just like,
I love Saint Jude and I got to sing beautiful
things for them the other day and it was the
hardest thing I've done in a while because the families.
Some of the families were like very emotional about it,
but it was a really cool moment. I'm grateful to
have a platform where I can write songs that mean
(18:03):
different things to different people, and maybe it gives them
a little bit of hope during a really hard time.
And it really everything I can do to help them.
It's like change my life going there. So highly recommend
anyone doing their research and figuring out what Saint Jude
is all about. It's it's amazing, it's.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Unreal the more you learn what happens. Yeah, and then
the families don't.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Have a bill, they don't have a bill, and they
make it. They also accommodate the families, like these poor
sick kids have brothers and sisters, and you don't think about,
you know, if you're not in a situation, you don't
think about like what it Oh, this kid has to
be away from their siblings. They allow the whole families
to just like everyone bring it on in. You don't
pay a bill, and they try to make it as
(18:44):
best they can for a really tough situation.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Listen, we're wrapping things up.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Thank you for the time, Thank you for coming down
to Broadway, because sometimes Broadway sucks.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Most most times it sucks. But thank you. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Thank you. Should we get on a pedal tavern?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
I bet you won't.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
I will for real, Like when the album comes out,
we should do something.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
We would do a pedal tavern and make it pink
an alcohol sponsored and free rides.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Free rides. We just like ask people. I'll just like
look like a bachelorette. I'll like have a little veil
on and.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Then but every song comes on, you have to go.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
This is my job because we hear that ship all
summer down the copy instrue.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
They can't
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