Megan Moroney hadn’t yet found a home for her music in Nashville when she broke through with her viral 2022 hit “Tennessee Orange.” In just three short years, the University of Georgia alum’s career has skyrocketed, releasing two albums and stocking up her trophy case with awards from the ACM, CMA, and VMAs. Songs like “Am I Okay?” and “6 Months Later” showcase Moroney’s knack for storytelling. But she can easily make songs from half a century ago sound fresh and original, as the 27-year-old recently did with the Eagles’ “Desperado.”
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“Desperado,” off the Eagles’ 1973 album of the same name, fits squarely into Megan Moroney’s “emo cowgirl” purview. Penned by the legendary duo of Glenn Frey and Don Henley, the soft-rock ballad centers around a narrator who continually rejects love in favor of flying solo. So hearing Moroney put her own spin on “Desperado” during Tuesday’s (Sept. 30) headlining show at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater made perfect sense.
Desperado, whoa, you ain’t gettin’ no younger / Your pain and your hunger, they’re drivin’ you home, Moroney sang softly, seated onstage for the no-frills performance. And freedom, oh, freedom, well, that’s just some people talkin’ / Your prison is walkin’ through this world all alone.
One fan posted footage of the cover to TikTok with the caption, “Megan Moroney playing Desperado at Red Rocks?! I am not okay. How did I get so lucky to live through this moment?”
Moroney seemingly couldn’t believe it either, sharing her own footage from the moment. “ever since I wrote ‘hope you’re happy’ i’ve dreamed of singing desperado at red rocks & that dream came true last night,” she wrote.
[RELATED: Megan Moroney Joins Rising Pop Star in Nashville for Surprise “6 Months Later” Duet]
Megan Moroney Just Dropped This Unreleased Fan Favorite on YouTube
As her sophomore album, last year’s Am I Okay?, continues to climb the charts, Megan Moroney has dropped multiple cryptic hits about its still-untitled successor. Just recently, she shared the live debut of a still-unreleased fan favorite, “Beautiful Things,” on YouTube, igniting further speculation that her third studio album may be just around the corner.
Moroney will appear on Late Night with Seth Myers next week, just a few days ahead of her 28th birthday on Oct. 9. Seems like the perfect opportunity for an album announcement, so stay tuned.
Featured image by Taylor Hill/Getty Images for Boston Calling
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