Kip Moore Warns Rising Artists Against Mimicking Morgan Wallen & Zach Bryan

While the voice behind hit songs like “Hey Old Lover”, “Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck”, and “The Bull”, Kip Moore brought more than his singing and songwriting abilities. He also had nearly two decades’ worth of country music experience. While enjoying every moment within the genre, he noticed a growing trend that he hoped to warn aspiring artists about. With the success of Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan, Moore advised singers to stick with their own sound instead of trying to copy the style and sound of other country stars.  

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Appearing on The Stephan Hogan Podcast, Moore discussed all aspects of his career in the spotlight. But when it came to giving advice to singers hoping to land in Nashville, he was somewhat reluctant at first, even admitting, “I have no advice.” 

Before moving on to the next question, Moore did want to impart some sound wisdom. “We see a lot of people chasing the biggest seller in our format right now. And by the time you catch him, yeah you might have a couple of little things happen because that sound is still going, but Morgan is always going to be able to sell tickets because he started that thing.”

[RELATED: Has Country Radio Lost Its Way? Kip Moore Says Yes, but He Has Faith It Can Bounce Back]

Kip Moore Uses Florida Georgia Line As An Example

For those who believe they are an exception to the rule, Moore promised, “You’re not going to do it as well as him. It’s gonna be a knock off version, and it’s gonna be fleeting.” 

Another person Moore saw singers try to imitate was Bryan. Once again, he insisted, “You see it with the whole Zach Bryan movement (too). Man, if I hear another song start with a minor chord… but he does what he does great. You see this trend happening where everyone is trying to be Zach Bryan.” 

Moore didn’t want to just name names. He also presented a few examples. “I watched it with Florida Georgia Line. Everyone was trying to be Florida Georgia Line for a minute. By the time you catch it, that train is leaving the track, and there’s gonna be a new thing coming through soon. The guy that started it, he’ll still get to do that.”

Urging artists to focus on their own voice, Moore believed a singer could trick themselves but never the audience. “You can fool fans, but eventually they sniff you out.” Ultimately, the star encouraged artists to chase authenticity, reminding them that the only lasting career is the one built in their own voice.

(Photo by Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images)