Morgan Wade has high hopes for the future of country music.
The breakout star put his name on the map in 2021 with his major label debut, “Reckless. “The 10-song project not only tackles complex subjects that are often considered ‘taboo’, but pushes the boundaries of the country with her distinctive country-rock sound. Wade’s way of staying true to herself has found a resonated with fans and propelled her into stardom.
Following the success of his single “wilder days‘, Wade joined forces with critically acclaimed producer Sadler Vaden and music engineer Paul Ebersold to cultivate six additional tracks for ‘Carefree (Deluxe Edition).’ The well-crafted collection on addiction, love, mental health and loss earned Wade an invitation to the Grand Ole Opry and an opportunity to tour with some of the biggest names in the genre.
The heavily tattooed singer is currently on a national tour with Luke Combs and will later join Chris Stapleton for select dates. Wade told CMT that their decision to include a new female artist in their roster reflects the positive change country music is experiencing today.
“I think it’s so cool that Chris has two wives with him,” Wade said of Elle King. “You go and see the festival lineups, and a lot of times there aren’t a lot of women. Although it’s getting so much better because all these guys are like, ‘No…that’s got to change.'”
Wade went on to highlight the progress the country’s landscape has made so far and how very optimistic she feels.
“I like the way things are going,” she said hopefully in the voice. “I want it to be a non-judgemental place. We all come to music because it doesn’t matter what you look like or anything like that. You know, I get a lot of flak for my tattoos. It should be just about music. You look back at some of these older songwriters and singers who said what they wanted. I think every generation has its people.
The raw artist, known for her raspy voice and outspoken personality, hopes to persevere and contribute to change.
“I just want to keep evolving and making music that I want to make. Music brings us together. You go to these festivals and concerts all around, and people meet people. They make friends, and we’re right there. for the same I think it should always be like this. That’s where I’m at, just accepting everyone and letting everyone be themselves. I think we can do that.” she pointed out.
Wade said her main motif will be seen through in her upcoming sophomore collection, as she marches to the beat of her own drum without any pressure to be someone she’s not.
“I’m super excited because this new stuff is going to be awesome,” Wade said. “‘Reckless’ was a first album, so we didn’t have a lot of people pushing for anything at the time. That’s how we want to approach the next one, not thinking about what we have to do for others. Sadler said to me, ‘you had no pressure with the first, no pressure with the second – go for it.'”
The rising artist explained that his sound has changed drastically since entering the country space. The full disc is slated for release in the spring of 2023 and will showcase Wade’s growth as a singer and his newfound genre flair.
“My sound is evolving, which is something you should want as an artist. If everything sounded the same, it wouldn’t be great,” she said. “I’m not doing the second part of ‘Reckless’ – we’re moving on, and we have stuff coming up. The next album is definitely in 2023, but it gets me into the studio. I’m super excited because this new is going to be great. I got to write a lot of stuff with new people, so that was really cool.
Wade went into detail about the project and said her next chapter might have a more “grungy” feel.
“You watch ‘Reckless,’ and it’s such a mix of things. That’s definitely what the next album will still be, every song sounds different. Every kind of has its own flow of things. So that’s the thing about working with Sadler Vaden, we take the song and get really creative with it. There’s a little something for everyone because then you can’t put it in a box.”
Once the album is complete, she hopes to bring her creative vision to life and include additional material that conveys untold stories.
“I really see this as a collective project, not just a record. I want a lot with this,” CMT member Next Women of Country clarified. “I think a lot of artists do that now. They wrap stuff up and make it more cinematic. I’m so excited, it’s a little stressful and tedious, but it’s just fun!”
Wade did not confirm an official release date, but said the tracklist will include several collaborations. While waiting for new material, listeners can catch the country mainstay on the Middle of Somewhere Tour. For tickets and upcoming appearances, visit morganwademusic.com.
