Not even corporate entertainment music giant Variety could ignore Morgan Wallen’s successes in 2023, giving a huge profile to him and his song-writing team Friday.
Just a few years ago, there’s no way an outlet like Variety would go all-out for country music icon Morgan Wallen. He was embroiled in an attempted cancellation campaign after being caught on camera saying something he definitely shouldn’t have. He apologized, of course, but many entertainment industry oligarchs still won’t accept he’s the most successful young man in entertainment today.
With two back-to-back chart-dominating albums, a slew of hit singles and the biggest tour of the year, it’s hard to deny: America is living to a soundtrack written by Wallen and his incredible team.
“There is a really strong group of songwriters that have been using the Big Loud studios as their hub and base, and Charlie Handsome is one of them,” Wallen’s manager, Big Loud partner and CEO Seth England told Variety in reference to songs like “Last Night,” “You Proof,” “One Thing At A Time,” “Thinking ‘Bout Me” and “Wasted On You.”
Granny Gina is a mf icon and I want to be her when I grow up 🤘🏽🇺🇸 @MorganWallen
Grandma Goes Viral As Country Music Legend Asks For Help Finding Her | @DailyCaller https://t.co/Wxp3sWgbp3
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) March 2, 2023
England and Wallen’s writing relationship is so close the former will often join the singer on tour so he can show him new songs in real time, according to Variety. Fellow musicians and writers like Ashley Gorley, Miranda Lambert, John Byron, Ernest Keith Smith, Taylor Phillips and Jacob Kasher Hindlin also helped craft the Wallen sound we all love.
But apparently co-writer and producer Joey Moi is the “glue” behind it all, Variety noted. “Behind the scenes in Nashville, Joey is known as ‘the Wizard,” England continued. “His sensibilities and expectations of singers and musicians are second to none, and he is willing to be the only guy in the room who likes a certain part, for example, and leans on his gut. Joey is so much more than just a record producer.”
Moi’s secret sauce? The less-is-more approach. Apparently both “Last Night” and “Thinking ‘Bout Me” were far more produced before the final product, Variety reported. Moi and Wallen decided to strip them all back into far simpler productions. (RELATED: Morgan Wallen’s Empire Expands In Potential Seven-Figure Deal)
“Country fans just love it,” Moi told Variety. “We were kind of worried initially and wanted to make it more country, because the production is so out of genre. But the fans just really went for it, maybe due to the new a la carte state of the music industry. I don’t really think people listen to the genres anymore — they just listen to what they like.”
And there’s no denying how much America absolutely loves Wallen. We cannot wait to see what surprises are around the corner for us in 2024.