Morgan Wallen Reflects on His Rise to Country Stardom, Touring With Luke Bryan
2022 iHeartMedia Reading Time: 2 minutes
In his first major interview in two years, 30-year-old country star Morgan Wallen opens up about his historic success in 2023 and beyond, while also addressing past controversies. Coming off a year filled with chart-topping albums and singles, record-breaking tours, and plenty of awards, Wallen has firmly solidified himself as one of country music’s biggest commercial successes.
Morgan Wallen Looks Back at a Successful Year in Music
Speaking over Zoom while taking a break from hunting on his new farm, Wallen discusses the highlights of his career trajectory so far. From playing his first-ever stadium show supporting Luke Bryan in 2018 to now consistently selling out massive venues on his own headlining tour, Wallen reflects on how surreal but rewarding this journey has been.
Within the interview, he mentioned remembering how big the stadiums of Bryan’s tours were, little did he know, these would soon become familiar. Now, Wallen’s touring venues match those of Bryan.
Apart from touring accomplishments, Wallen saw unprecedented streaming and sales numbers in 2023. He scored the longest-running number-one single of the year on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Last Night,” while his album One Thing at a Time broke numerous records.
His songs dominated country streaming, showing his popularity with younger listeners. Veterans like Dolly Parton even took notes from his approach to long albums and social media song premieres.
As the leader of country music’s chart, Wallen prides himself on bringing his own eclectic blend of sounds to the genre. His vulnerable songwriting mixed with rap-infused production continues attracting wide audiences beyond the country’s typical demographic.
Morgan Wallen Addresses His Spoken Controversial Slurs
Addressing the fallout from his 2021 racial slur controversy, Wallen owns his mistake fully while clarifying perceptions. Insisting he’s a changed man now who understands his words’ impact, he details productive conversations with Black leaders and donations through his foundation.
He admits briefly feeling anger over distorted assumptions, but mainly despair at tarnishing his reputation so severely. While largely moving forward, awards show snubs still sting temporarily. Nonetheless, he focuses on what he can control, like delivering for his loyal fans.
“That person is definitely not the same person I am now,” Wallen said. “There’s no excuse. I’ve never made an excuse. I never will make an excuse.”
As Wallen eyes global touring and more genre-bending collaborations, his priority remains balancing music with quality time for his son and self-care. With new business ventures on the horizon as well, he seems intent on mindfully building on his unprecedented success without compromising his health or integrity.
