Megan Moroney has returned to conquer the pop country genre with her third album, Cloud 9. Released on February 20th, the fifteen-track album features popular artists such as Ed Sheeran and Kacey Musgraves, and tells stories of love, loss, and radical acceptance. The concept for the album is full of rose-colored hues and cotton-candy skies, which is obviously reflected in the many upbeat songs that are sure to become favorites to scream along to on summer car rides.
“Cloud 9”
The album’s opener and title track, Cloud 9 is the epitome of a country love song. Moroney recounts a love so strong that it makes the difficult parts of life feel easier and has left her feeling as though she’s walking on sunshine. The simplicity of this song is part of what gives it its charm, a catchy country song that is as uncomplicated as its subject matter.
Standout Lyric: “You’re putting stars in my eyes like no one else can”
“Medicine”
Medicine immediately flips the lovey-dovey theme of the title track on its head. Moroney is no longer head over heels, but is messing with the head of her love interest. Recounting the incredibly relatable experience of male inconsistency, Moroney begs the question: “What if he got a taste of his own medicine?” In this catchy and upbeat revenge anthem, Moroney goes full country in a Carrie Underwood-esque reminder that when it comes to playing games in a relationship, she can dish it just as well as she can take it.
Standout Lyric: “Is it bitter going down, down down?/ You don’t like it too much, do you?”
“6 Months Later”
The first single of the album, released in June 2025, 6 Months Later follows a very specific time in Moroney’s own life when she learned the age-old lesson: they always come back. My favorite aspect of this track is how it genuinely feels as though Moroney is gossiping in your ear about her own life. It’s girly, it’s fun, and it makes light of something that can feel so heavy and deeply emotional when it happens for the first time, but eventually becomes an inside joke or “rite of passage.”
Standout Lyric: “Little therapy, now you’re so stable/ Okay, well/ Your next girlfriend will be so lucky!”
“Stupid”
Returning with her third consecutive track, making fun of men as a whole, Moroney pokes fun at the concept of ghosting and turns it into something else entirely. Rather than being self-deprecating, Moroney notes how stupid someone must be to choose not to pursue her. Her overwhelming confidence throughout the album as a whole is so refreshing. With her main audience being young women, it’s great to see music that acknowledges the downsides of dating without assuming you’re the problem or unworthy. Instead, Moroney tells listeners that she’s a catch, and anyone who doesn’t see that is clearly incompetent. This song is humorous and lighthearted, a great pop country track for anyone sick of modern dating.
Standout Lyric: “Surely his silence isn’t him letting me go/ And I know he can’t read his watch/ I bet that’s why he didn’t show, I know”
“Beautiful Things”
Taking a brief break from love songs, Beautiful Things is a touching track addressed to Moroney’s niece. This song is truly just a sweet message of self-acceptance and acknowledgement of the hardships that come with growing up, but a reminder to continue to love yourself and remember that you are not something to be fixed. This is a healing song for people of all ages, but especially those conquering adolescence and the challenges along the way.
Standout Lyric: “Words can make a mockingbird forget they’re born to sing”
“Convincing”
Despite its February release, Convincing immediately transports listeners to somewhere warmer. Set on a beach, this song tells the story of the excitement of new beginnings in love and the urge to fall hard and fast, especially when romanticized by beautiful scenery and warm weather. This is one of my favorites on the album purely for its vibe, and I assume it will be even better, as most country songs are, in warm weather.
Standout Lyric: “I say “This is so dumb”/ You say “Shut up and kiss me”/ We ain’t in love/ But damn, we’re convincing”
“Liars & Tigers & Bears”
Moroney reflects on the downsides of female success in this emotional track. Discussing the incredibly high standards women, and especially famous women, are held to, along with the constant fear of betrayal and failure constantly chasing them. Women who are in the spotlight are expected to be perfect, and any sign of flaws is seen as weakness or scandal. The fear of being stabbed in the back is completely valid, especially when society pits women against each other and acts as though there isn’t enough space for everyone in the music industry, and only the strongest and most flawless survive. This track surprised me with its depth, and I admire the way Moroney expresses so much vulnerability.
Standout Lyric: “Paint yourself pretty but don’t do too much/ Be soft and not bitchy, but you better be tough”
“I Only Miss You”
When I first saw that Ed Sheeran was featured on this album, I was ecstatic. I am a massive fan of Sheeran’s songwriting, specifically on his older albums, and I knew his collaboration with Moroney would be a gut punch. Of course, the pair did not disappoint. In this track, each singer-songwriter takes on a different part of a duet as they sing about coping with heartbreak through drinking and reminiscing. The song is slow and thoughtful, following classic country tradition with its most impactful lyric being embedded in the chorus.
Standout Lyric: “I only miss you when I’m drinking/ And baby, I’ve been drinking/ ‘Cause I miss you all the time”
“Wedding Dress”
After one listen, this song became my favorite on the album instantly. Moroney’s lyricism and vocals really shine in this heartbreaking song about the fear of permanent longing and regret. Moroney wonders if the pain of missing her former relationship will ever subside, or if she’ll still be thinking of him on her wedding day. This song is nauseating in the best way, slow and beautiful and full of dread. I would call this a perfect breakup song, something that could play in the scene in a rom-com where the main character drowns her sorrows in a pint of ice cream and wears a matching pajama set, staring out of her window and utilizing a comically large amount of tissues to wipe her mascara-stained cheeks. That being said, this song won’t feel corny or over the top for anyone going through this experience. Instead, it offers a vulnerable perspective on lost love and moving on.
Standout Lyric: “So let me miss him now, but God don’t let me miss him in a wedding dress”
“Change of Heart”
Taking a break from slow songs, Change of Heart offers a much more cynical and humorous perspective on heartbreak than several of the other tracks on the album. Moroney wrestles with annoyance and regret as she reflects on her nightmare of an ex-boyfriend and how every time she decides to hate him, she misses him and changes her mind. This song is funny and relatable, and once again criticizes the man who hurt her, only taking a light jab at her own kind nature that keeps her circling back to forgiveness.
Standout Lyric: “I could’ve been a shoulder for crying/ It’s got to be hard to get caught lying”
“Bells & Whistles”
When the track list for Cloud 9 was first announced, I assumed this would be an upbeat track that could possibly include innuendo. Instead, Moroney collaborated with Kacey Musgraves to create a beautiful, slow song for those who have wondered whether the person who dated their ex after them is somehow better or more palatable. I typically dislike songs that demean other people involved in a collapsed relationship, but this song takes on a special tone. Rather than working to insult the new woman involved with her ex, Moroney and Musgraves frame the contemplation of this woman as more pitying than resentful. They discuss the lengths they had to go to accommodate the inconsistency of their former partner, and how whoever he dates next must be simple and forgiving, unlike them, who have higher expectations, because that’s the only way the relationship would work. This song sounds very similar to Moroney’s song, “Girl In the Mirror,” and the two share a similar message: you can’t change who you are to suit someone else.
Standout Lyric: “You walk in half past three/ She’s just glad that you’re home”
“Table for Two”
In Table for Two, Moroney sings about missing her former relationship and feeling as though she has nothing to lose, so why not confess her love? Something I love about Moroney’s perspective on getting back together with your ex is that she always acknowledges that it’s a bad idea. Even if her actions contradict her words, she always maintains the same rational thought that she’s making a mistake. Her imperfection, the way she notes that she continues to make this mistake even though she knows it’s a bad idea, is relatable to many and refreshing to all. Moroney doesn’t try to convince her audience that she’s making good choices; instead using her errors in judgment as teaching moments. In Table for Two, Moroney states that she knows she shouldn’t tell her ex that she still loves them, but the idea of how well it could go is going to allow her to choose head over heart. The sweetness of this song almost distracts the listener from how bad the idea is, just like how Moroney’s memories distract her from the truth: it won’t be the same.
Standout Lyric: “Deleted your number, I know it by heart/ It’s counterproductive, at least it’s a start.”
“Wish I Didn’t”
The third and final single released for Cloud 9, “Wish I Didn’t,” is reminiscent of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” in terms of theme. Moroney essentially begs her partner not to disappoint her and make her wish she hadn’t taken a chance on him. I personally love this genre of music. I find it so girly and fun, and the popularity of songs like these clearly reflects their relatability. Women are sick of having to cross their fingers and hope that their partner will act right, and Moroney puts the feeling into words flawlessly in this catchy single.
Standout Lyric: “Don’t make me wish I didn’t/ Go all in, max my last bet/ Don’t you dare turn into someone I’ll regret.”
“Who Hurt You?”
The funniest thing about this song is the drama it has caused in a matter of days. Fans speculate this song to be about country artist Riley Green, who is believed to have dated Moroney briefly in 2025. Shortly after its release, Green took to TikTok to post a video of himself singing a song about how anyone can write a song about how terrible he is, but they will never be able to find another “POS like me.” Comments were filled with fans making fun of Green’s “crashout,” claiming it is clear he has been streaming Cloud 9. Whether or not the speculation is true, it’s laughable to think that, if Green is the subject here, Moroney’s songs about how childish her former partner is were almost instantly proven true. This is a track that will have you banging on your dashboard or dramatically rolling your eyes as you sing along, my favorite kind of breakup song.
Standout Lyric: “You said you needed less flashy, more fun/ Oh, of course she’s twenty-one.”
“Waiting On the Rain”
On the final track of the album, Moroney slows it down through her vulnerable lyrics and country twang. She sings about knowing that a relationship is coming to an end, feeling discontent, and the impending doom, while pretending everything is fine. This is one of Moroney’s best displays of lyricism in this album, and a perfect conclusion to the Cloud 9 album as a whole. She is in love, she has fallen out, and she reflects after the fallout, all in one three-minute song. All of these emotions are explored on a deeper level in individual songs on Cloud 9, but this one tells the relationship almost from start to finish, and acknowledges the doubts, the rain that comes with the sunshine, the highs and lows that come with falling in love.
Standout Lyric: “Something in my heart/ Knows I’m gonna run/ But here I am lying in the pain in his arms/ Just waiting on the rain.”
Moroney has begun promoting her new album release with the Cloud 9 mini tour, a series of nine acoustic shows across the country with nine-dollar tickets. Eager fans are obsessed with the new album, and its stories of love, loss, and overwhelming girlhood. Moroney’s new album is already a hit in my books and will be the perfect soundtrack for spring and summer for any pop-country lovers looking for a little sparkle in their playlists.