Megan Moroney, “Am I Okay?”

After a whirlwind year with a headlining tour, a speedy rise to fame and a Stagecoach festival performance in Southern California, Megan Moroney is ready to show the world who she is with her sophomore LP, Am I Okay?

On the project, Moroney finds a balance between classic Southern charm and modern country punch with just the right amount of twang. Her songwriting resembles other current country pop artists, such as Kelsea Ballerini, with raw and personal lyrics about relationships and complex emotions. Despite these similarities, her storytelling always feels heartfelt and honest.

The album’s opener immediately introduces Moroney’s sweet personality with a mix of humor, sadness and joy. After being swept off her feet by a new lover in spite of previously deciding she was done with love, she wonders, “Oh my God, am I OK?” Country has its stereotypes of trucks, cowboys and horses—which are often accurate—and thus it can be a difficult genre in which one can to stand out. But with this title track, Moroney is able to immediately convey her sweet personality as unique and worth paying attention to.

Themes of hesitant love continue on the second track, with Megan Moroney singing about finding a man different from all of the ones she’s loved in the past; who have ended up hurting her. It works well as a chill tune, continuing what seems like a narrative of tentatively falling in love.

A string of singles comes next, starting with “No Caller ID,” on which her ex gives her a 3 a.m. call. It’s full of despair but isn’t too intense, with a Southern drawl and more conflicted feelings. By the end of the song, though, she’s officially decided to leave him without his name saved in her phone.

Vocally, Moroney fits the country pop genre perfectly. On songs like “28th of June,” her heartbroken vocals convey sorrow while staying mellifluous. On the more upbeat “Man on the Moon,” her singing brings energy and silliness.

The latter is bright and high-spirited, with a country rock sound created by amplified electric guitar notes instead of just the usual acoustic twang. The lively energy accompanies her exciting solution to getting rid of a man that’s bothering her: send him to the moon!

Country pop is certainly a great vessel for Moroney, whose voice and aura fit right into the genre. She makes sure that her unique personality is seen through the symphony of guitar strumming and snare beats. But at a certain point, there’s only so much that one can do with it, and the record starts to become repetitive. There are more songs about lovers good and bad, and while the songs are never bad, they are never particularly revolutionary. Instead, they start to blend together, especially with the heartbroken-but-healed “Hope You’re Happy.”

“Mama I Lied” is a pain-filled song that stands out from the romance-centered ones, with Moroney confessing her mistakes in life to her mom over well-matched balladry acoustics. She’s clearly an authentic artist, and her confessions are relatable.

Then, with “Hell of a Show,” she wraps up the album in an unexpected yet fitting way. The short track sees Moroney sing only two verses. On the first, she details her success as a singer: “It’s everything I’ve wanted, I’m lucky as can be.” But the song takes a turn when she brings up her backstage life: “I’m onstage in 20 and he’s so damn mean to me.” It’s far from a positive way to end the album, but it’s raw and genuine. It leaves you empathizing with her and wishing the best for the heroine of the past hour.

In all, the album is sweet with a nice mix of uplifting and upset, and it solidifies Moroney as someone to look out for in the future of country.