Photo: Amber Asaly
Megan Moroney’s dreamy title track is the latest song to release from her highly-anticipated third studio record.
“Cloud 9” made its debut on Friday (February 6), weeks before the Georgia-born country artist delivers her full record. Moroney wrote the song with Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Ernest Keith Smith (ERNEST), and frequent collaborator Kristian Bush produced it. The album-opening ballad begins with Moroney floating through a blissful chapter in her life, brushing off traffic, loud neighbors and more as she embraces her happiness in a relationship.
Moroney surprised social media followers earlier this week when she confirmed “Cloud 9,” a song “for the lover girls,” would arrive in time to start the weekend. The title track is hailed a “gravity-defying love song (that) makes for a gorgeous kickoff to Cloud 9 release month,” states a press release issued Friday morning. “‘Cloud 9’ channels the quiet awe of someone who’s overcome her share of heartbreak — but ultimately looks to the future with unstoppable joy.”
“You give me that look, I’m floating on air / No nothing else matters with your hands in my hair / I never want to leave where we are now / It’s a long, long way way down / Down to cloud nine”
“Cloud 9” is the latest song to release from Moroney’s third studio record (which follows 2024’s Am I Okay? and 2023’s Lucky). So far, she’s released “6 Months Later,” “Beautiful Things” and “Wish I Didn’t” from the 15-track project.
1. “Cloud 9” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Ernest Keith Smith)*
2. “Medicine” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)*
3. “6 Months Later” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Rob Hatch, and David “Messy” Mescon)*
4. “Stupid” (Megan Moroney, Amy Allen, and David “Messy” Mescon)*
5. “Beautiful Things” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)*
6. “Convincing” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)*
7. “Liars & Tigers & Bears” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)*
8. “I Only Miss You (ft. Ed Sheeran)” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, Micah Carpenter, and Ed Sheeran)*
9. “Wedding Dress” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, and Colin Healy)+
10. “Change of Heart” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)*
11. “Bells & Whistles (ft. Kacey Musgraves)” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)*
12. “Table for Two” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)^
13. “Wish I Didn't” (Megan Moroney, Emily Weisband, Hillary Lindsey, and Luke Laird)*
14. “Who Hurt You?” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)*
15. “Waiting on the Rain” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)*
* Produced by Kristian Bush
+ Produced by Luke Laird and Megan Moroney, additional production by Kristian Bush
^ Produced by Luke Laird and Megan Moroney
Moroney shared earlier this week that the title track is “for the lover girls,” and said she’d release “one more song before the album” arrives on Friday, February 20. This spring, Moroney will kick off her headlining run of shows at “top-tier arenas across the U.S.” See the full list of tour stops below.
“I am so excited for my fans and I to dive into this new world of Cloud 9 together,” Moroney said in a statement when she announced Cloud 9. “Similar to the first two albums, it’s all written about honest, personal experiences, but these songs were written by the strongest, most confident version of myself I’ve ever been. My feet feel firmly planted in my artistry and it was fun to play around sonically, while still sticking to my roots of what my fans and I love. Cloud 9 is a state of mind, and I have no doubt this will be the best chapter yet.”
MAY
29 | Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
30 | Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
JUNE
2 | Chicago, IL – United Center
3 | Chicago, IL – United Center
5 | Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
6 | Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
8 | Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
9 | Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
12 | Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
13 | St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
16 | Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
18 | Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
19 | Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
20 | Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
JULY
6 | Boston, MA – TD Garden
7 | Boston, MA – TD Garden
9 | Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
10 | Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
11 | Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
14 | Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
16 | Orlando, FL – Kia Center
17 | Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
18 | Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena
24 | Monticello, IA – Great Jones County Fair
25 | Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
26 | Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
28 | Denver, CO – Ball Arena
AUGUST
1 | Portland, OR – Moda Center
2 | Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
5 | Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
7 | Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
8 | Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
11 | Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
14 | Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
15 | Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
16 | Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
18 | Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
21 | Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
22 | Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
SEPTEMBER
13 | Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
15 | Stockholm, SE – Annexet
18 | Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria
19 | Tilburg, NL – 013 Poppodium
21 | Paris, FR – Le Trianon
23 | London, UK – Eventim Apollo
26 | Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo
27 | Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
28 | Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
OCTOBER
1 | Belfast, UK – SSE Arena