Her breakthrough hit was called “Tennessee Orange,” but she’s a Georgia Bulldog through and through.
In that Top 10 country hit, Megan Moroney sings of her love for a Tennessee fan, a love so strong she’s willing to wear UT colors. While some UGA fans found it a sacrilege, but her loyalties are clear when she delivers the line “I still want the Dawgs to win.”
Moroney, who grew up in Douglasville, just added a big win of her own, scoring the award for best new artist at Wednesday’s CMA Awards.
“I’m going to try to get through this without crying,” she said as she accepted the award. “Thank you, Jesus, for putting this dream on my heart and thank you for the gift of songwriting.”
“This is for my fans. I would say they’re a large reason why I’m up here right now,” Moroney said. “The way they show up for me, the way they care about my songs, and they make signs and T-shirts, and they wait outside the venue starting at 3 a.m. It’s really insane to me.”
She also gave a shoutout to Atlanta’s own Kristian Bush, who produced both of her albums, 2023′s “Lucky” and “Am I Okay?,” released in July.
Credit: George Walker IV/Invision/AP
Credit: George Walker IV/Invision/AP
“Thank you for letting me be your intern at the University of Georgia so many years ago,” she said before adding “Go Dawgs.”
After winning the award, she spoke with Billboard backstage, noting that “Just being here tonight is a dream come true for little Megan.”
When asked who she thought would win, she said, “I had my money on Shaboozey.”
As for awards shows, “It’s hard. I feel like it breeds competitiveness. I think all artists should go in win or lose and it doesn’t define your artistry.”
During the CMAs, Moroney also performed her latest hit, “Am I Okay?,” which is at No. 21 on the Billboard country charts this week.
She has an extensive touring schedule in 2025, which will bring her to Athens’ Akins Ford Arena on April 4 and 5, but both shows are already sold out.
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