Morgan Wallen has established himself as one of the biggest stars in country music. He shot to prominence after competing on Usher’s team for The Voice’s sixth season before switching over to Adam Levine’s.
Country radio chart-topper Garth Brooks boasts 11 chart-topping songs and his One Night At A Time World Tour has sold out stadiums nationwide – but he has made headlines for offstage behavior, including using the N-word in public speaking engagements.
Background
Wallen is an esteemed country singer-songwriter renowned for his performances both live and on radio, while also cultivating an avid following on TikTok where fans react to short excerpts of his music.
Wallen’s success didn’t happen overnight, however. After appearing on The Voice, he worked tirelessly to navigate his way through a competitive music industry – travelling extensively performing for anyone willing to pay him.
In 2014, he auditioned for Season Six of The Voice with his cover of Howie Day’s “Collide”. Initially placed on Usher’s team before Adam Levine stole him away with only country performance on show being eliminated during playoff rounds.
Wallen began recording his songs after signing with Big Loud Records and recording publishing deals. Soon thereafter, his debut, The Way I Talk, earned him a Top 10 Country Songs charting single and left an impression with country music listeners.
Early life
Morgan Wallen came into his own as a country music artist through the challenging environment of Nashville. Since settling there in 2015, he has sharpened his chops and formed relationships that have earned him chart-topping albums as well as collaborations with an A-List of music titans.
Wallen learned the lessons of dedication and hard work from sports and music as he grew up, both of which played key roles in his eventual rise as a country music superstar. Singing at church services or playing the violin were all forms of expression which helped nurture Wallen’s creative spirit and foster his success as an artist.
Wallen made waves during Season Six of The Voice in 2014, standing out with his signature vocals and country-influenced performances; though ultimately losing to Adam Levine’s team. But his exposure from The Voice propelled him to Nashville where he began woodshedding as a songwriter with Craig Wiseman and Clay Hunnicutt; eventually landing him a publishing deal with Big Loud Shirt Publishing Company.
One Thing at a Time
Wallen is known to create heartbreak anthems with bite, his defiant yet good-ride attitude sometimes verges on hostile territory (as with “Happy Hour”, “Hope That’s True”, and “Wasted on You” or HARDY-assisted “He Went to Jail”); adding an alluring edge to these heartbreaking firestarters.
On ‘One Thing at a Time,’ country star Rascal Flatts takes an altogether more humorous approach to dealing with his breakup. Responding to an ex-lover’s suggestion that he cut back or move on quickly from substance abuse, Rascal gives an ultimatum: “I’m only quitting one thing at a time.”
Nashville songwriters Ernest and Gorley wrote the song for One Thing at a Time Sampler EP released alongside tour announcements; Joey Moi was responsible for adding touches of ’80s pop to its production. It reached number three on Billboard 200 chart at its release and broke records for most songs by one artist simultaneously on one album chart.
Dangerous
Wallen’s success as a country singer is disconcerting for those working towards social change in Nashville. After video footage emerged showing him using the N-word last year on TMZ, many of his peers, such as Kelsea Ballerini and Maren Morris called on record labels to suspend him as soon as possible, radio stations stop playing his music, and streaming services remove his music from their playlists.
Wallen was dropped by major labels but continued to sell out arenas and release albums despite this, spending five weeks at the top of Billboard 200 charts with his second effort, Dangerous. Singles such as ‘Wasted on You’ have even charted in country music top 10s as well as cross-genre Hot 100 charts. Though Wallen has often been criticised by fellow musicians and banned from awards shows, his fan base remains committed and serves as a testament to American culture’s diversity.