7/10
About two years after the release of her wildly successful sophomore album, Am I Okay?, country star Megan Moroney released her third studio album, Cloud 9. The album features country-pop music that blends with her signature emo cowgirl persona. Moroney’s music frequently explores themes of heartbreak through honest, witty, and storytelling-driven lyrics. Cloud 9 features 15 tracks that develop themes of contentment, romantic optimism, pressures of fame, and love as a refuge. The record draws on familiar styles from previous albums, but leans more towards a pop style. The album is songwriting and storytelling driven, featuring acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards, drums, and a steel guitar.
The album has attracted attention due to Moroney’s artistic approach, with a shift from a green color scheme for Lucky and blue for Am I Okay?, representing her new confident persona with the pink visual rebrand. Moroney envisioned a more joyful and confident pink era—a sentiment reflected in the album’s title, Cloud 9. Some also speculate that the number nine is significant to her, as her birthday is Oct. 9.
Two singles, “Beautiful Things” and “6 Months Later,” were released in 2025, prior to the official release of the album. Both songs quickly gained popularity, with “6 Months Later” becoming her third song to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. Meanwhile, “Beautiful Things” became a fan favorite because of its comforting message about the importance of self-worth.
The album’s opening track, “Cloud 9,” is more pop-leaning than the others in her discography. Even though it has fun, creative lyrics, “Cloud 9” is underwhelming as an opening and title track. However, it sets a tone of positivity and confidence that continues for the rest of the album. The song that follows is “Medicine,” one of the few places where Moroney’s Georgia accent shines. With piano flourishes and guitar solos, the song becomes a playful and sharp track.
“Stupid” is the fourth track on the album, detailing the struggles of a communication breakdown. “He speaks before he thinks, like, most of the time / But there’s got to be a reason why he isn’t here / With a girl like me, you don’t just disappear / Up and ghost me, he wouldn’t do it,” Moroney sings.
By the sixth track, “Convincing,” the album shifts to a deeper, sadder theme. Moroney captures the chemistry of a relationship that never truly had a future. She details the type of connection that feels fated and fleeting. “If someone wrote the script, and this is it / I’d watch it over and over / And of course then you grin / Say, “I want you” in French / This feels way too lights, camera, action,” she sings.
“Liars & Tigers & Bears” is a standout on the album and easily one of her best songs. In it, Moroney expresses the difficulty of being a woman in country music because of the higher standards and contradictory expectations. “Speak your mind, but not too loud / Be sure of yourself, but never too proud / Paint yourself pretty, but don’t do too much / Be soft and not b*tchy, but you better be tough,” she sings. Though the song is not necessarily a country protest song, it indirectly references the industry Moroney must navigate through. “Work ‘till it kills you but don’t actually die,” she sings, adding to the dimensions of self-awareness in the album.
For the first time on one of her own records, Moroney leaned into high-profile duets with “I Only Miss You,” featuring Ed Sheeran. The song is excellently written, with Sheeran and Mackenzie Carpenter also credited. The song embraces more traditional country tunes and fits the theme of lingering love after a breakup. “I only miss you when I’m drinking / And, baby, I’ve been drinking ’cause I miss you all the time,” they sing together.
Another standout song and excellent collaboration is “Bells & Whistles,” featuring Kacey Musgraves, another country artist who blends genres. The song centers on watching an ex move on to someone similar, but with a simpler and subdued personality. “I know why you like her, she’s sweet and she’s simple / She’s like me without the bells and the whistles,” Moroney and Musgraves sing. Both of their voices blend together harmoniously and almost effortlessly, with Musgraves’ deeper tone balancing with Moroney’s lighter tone.
“Wedding Dress” is an unforgettable song on the album because it further showcases her songwriting precision. Throughout the song, acoustic and steel guitars support the message Moroney explores—a constant lingering feeling of missing someone. “So let me miss him now / But God, don’t lеt me miss him in a wedding dress,” she sings anxiously. Considering it was a long-awaited fan favorite and unreleased song, it does not necessarily fit the album’s emotional theme.
“Change of Heart” follows this heartfelt message, highlighting the worst parts of an ex-lover. “Zero outta ten, would never date again,” she sings. “Table For Two,” featuring Moroney’s classic wit, fits in with the album’s theme of romantic optimism. Though nothing about the two songs is exceptional, they are captivating and great additions that build the album’s key themes.
“Wish I Didn’t” was released about a month before the album on Jan. 16, and explores the idea of still having optimism about a relationship despite knowing about their past. “Consider this your warning, you’ve got one shot to listen / I think I’m falling for you, don’t make me wish I didn’t,” she sings in the chorus.“Who Hurts You?” is a strong closing song as the second to last track on the album. The song is painfully honest about revealing the problems of someone from a past relationship. It appears to be one of the most personal songs, hinted at by the amount of detail in the lyrics and by certain lines that lead to speculation that the song may be about Moroney’s brief relationship with Riley Green. “The devil went down to Georgia / then he crossed the ‘Bama line,’” she sings.
In her final song, “Waiting On the Rain,” she expresses thoughts of hope and reassurance. It is a bittersweet and soft ending to the album. “Life will just go on / Ain’t the first time I’ve been wrong,” she sings in the outro.
Moroney appears to know exactly what she is doing. After releasing Lucky and Am I Okay?, a third and very strong release, Cloud 9, shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Though fans of hers have grown familiar with her style, Cloud 9 is an exception, showcasing new confidence and expressive storytelling and collaborations. Moroney is not afraid to step out of her comfort zone for her music
