Kicking off the weekend on Friday, Megan Moroney will celebrate the release of her third studio album, Cloud 9. Having spent the last few months promoting the new album, the singer hopes to extend her career in country music. Following hits like “I’m Not Pretty” and “No Caller ID”, Moroney already gained praise in 2026 when she was honored at the Sharing the Spotlight awards hosted by She Is The Music. Excited to help pave the way for females in music, Moroney admitted that most female artists feel the need to fight for air.
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When accepting the honor at the awards, Moroney was shocked. Not by the recognition she received, but the fact that Alicia Keys knew her name. Hosted by She Is The Music, the nonprofit group was co-founded by Keys. “I’m not even gonna play with y’all. I can’t believe Alicia Keys knows who I am.”
Needing a second to process the moment, Moroney turned her attention on females trying to break into the industry. “I think sometimes we’re taught, subtly or not, that there’s only room for a few women at the top. But music and creating art isn’t a competition for oxygen. I’m positive that when one of us wins, it stretches the ceiling higher for the next girl watching.”
Having watched just how hard females work, fight, and push to be seen, Moroney found inspiration in that drive. “I’m inspired every time I get to be in a room with badass women who change the game every day, who do things their own way, and who don’t take no for an answer.”
[RELATED: You Can Meet Megan Moroney On ‘Cloud 9’ for Just $9]
Before Megan Moroney – There Was Alicia Keys
Much like Moroney, Keys saw just how underrepresented females were in the music industry. According to the statistics, out of 400 songs, male to female producers were 47 to 1. “We saw these statistics coming back, showing there really aren’t enough women in the seats and positions of power. But we were there, so we knew it was possible.”
Not waiting for an invitation, Keys, along with many other female artists, took matters into their own hands. “We decided to take matters into our own hands and really create the pathways, the opportunities, the sisterhoods, and the power to bring us all together and show each other how to cultivate the possibilities together.”
As Moroney celebrates the arrival of Cloud 9, her message is resonating far beyond fans. For the rising country star, success isn’t about taking someone else’s place – it’s about making the room bigger for the next generation of women in music.
(Photo by Emma McIntyre/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
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