After her first two studio albums, Lucky and Am I Okay?, helped put her on the map, Moroney began teasing a new era in the summer with the care-free, upbeat breakup anthem “6 Months Later” before finally dropping her long-awaited third studio album, Cloud 9, last month. In its debut week, the album made a splash, becoming Moroney’s first release to reach number one on the US Billboard 200, and recording the biggest first-week consumption for a country artist this year. Building on the album’s huge success, Moroney will take the record on the road from May with her biggest tour yet. The run will see her performing in arenas across North America before concluding with a series of shows in Europe.

Despite a flourishing career, Moroney is still just getting started, and the proof is in her ability to produce hits at a rapid pace. In an interview with Principle, Moroney talks Cloud 9 and what she wants the music to represent, embarking on an arena tour and how she sees her music in colours. 

Dress Self-Portrait / Jacket AGRO Studio / Shoes Louboutin / Earrings Self-Portrait

Cloud 9 marks your third album. Did you go into this record with a different mindset?

I definitely did. With the first album, you’re kind of just throwing everything you have at the wall because you don’t know if you’ll get to make another one. By the time I started writing Cloud 9, I felt a lot more confident in who I was as a songwriter and as an artist. I wasn’t trying to prove that I belonged anymore — I was just trying to make music that I wanted to listen to and write to the best of my ability. Cloud 9 is my best foot forward.

Going into the release itself, how were you feeling? With each album, do you start to feel more at ease with putting new stuff out?

I wish I could say it gets less nerve-wracking, but I think you just learn to live with the nerves. Every time you put music out, you’re sharing something really personal with people, so there’s always that moment of “Okay… here we go.” But with each album, I do feel more excited than scared.

The last album featured a blue theme, whereas this record has a strong pink aesthetic. Do you see your songs in colours? Why was pink fitting for this album?

I actually do see songs in colours sometimes. It’s hard to explain, but when I’m writing something, I’ll get a feeling for what the world around the song looks like. The last album definitely lived in a blue world emotionally. With Cloud 9, pink just felt right — it felt dreamy and romantic but also strong and empowering.

You’re gearing up for your biggest tour to date, playing iconic arenas across the US. When you were dreaming of being a singer, did you imagine reaching this level so quickly?

The “Cloud 9 Tour” is my biggest headline tour to date, and to play arenas that sold out in minutes feels surreal. All of this happened so organically, when you count the days it feels long, but when you zoom out, it hasn’t been long. Proof that truth and good songs always win. I have the best fans in the world!

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The tour will see you return to the UK. With country being a slightly niche genre there, have you noticed crowds being more receptive to album cuts as opposed to just hits?

Honestly, the UK crowds have been some of the most passionate. I think when people discover country music there, they really dive into it. I’ve noticed they know the deep cuts just as much as the singles, which, as a songwriter, is really cool to see.

Your Instagram bio describes you as a “professional emo girl.” Why is it easier to pour your heart into emotional songs instead of writing happy ones? 

When I feel something deeply, I turn to writing songs. It isn’t purposeful to have so many sad songs, but again, I write when I feel the strongest about a situation.

This is your first album to feature other artists. Why is now the right time to do that?

For a long time I really wanted my albums to feel like my diary, so I kept them pretty personal and just my voice. But with this record, there were a couple of songs where another artist just felt like they could bring something really special to the story. Once those collaborations came together, it felt really natural and are obviously two bucket list collabs for me.

Kacey Musgraves appears on “Bells & Whistles.” This collaboration almost feels overdue. How did that come together?

I’ve always been such a fan of Kacey — her songwriting and the way she builds worlds around her music. Getting to share a song with someone you’ve admired for a long time is pretty surreal.

Was there anything you learned working with Kacey?

I learned that sometimes it’s okay to meet your heroes!

Ed Sheeran also features on “I Only Miss You.” What was it like working with him?

Ed is one of those people who just lives and breathes songwriting. You can tell he genuinely loves the craft. Getting to collaborate with someone like that was really fun; he rewrote his verse, which I felt like made the song more universal to an extent because it brought in another perspective and voice other than my own.

Suit set Moschino / Bra Calvin Klein / Tights Falke / Shoes Malone Souliers / Earrings Vintage Lindsey Kit

Many female country artists eventually crossover into pop to reach a wider audience. You seem happy staying rooted in country. Has that felt important to you?

I don’t hyper focus on the genre, but there is something universal about my conversational lyrics that transcends outside of country. I’ve had my fans tell me I was their gateway drug to country music

The album begins with “Cloud 9” and closes with “Waiting On The Rain.” The imagery throughout the album features clouds and windows. The opening and closing feel intentional. Tell us about that.

It was definitely intentional. Cloud 9 starts in this dreamy, hopeful place — like being completely swept up in something. And by the time you get to “Waiting On The Rain,” there’s a little more perspective. It’s almost like the emotional, reality-check storm.

What does this album represent to you? And what do you want fans to take away from it?

To me, this album represents growth. It’s still emotional and still honest, but it’s coming from a more confident version of myself. If fans take anything away from it, I hope it’s that they feel understood and proud of themselves if they’ve been on this journey with me and have related to my past albums.

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