Authenticity over artifice: the Morgan Wallen standard

Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media; Photos by David Forehand

Walking on the moon seemed like a more feasible feat for me than ever liking country music. It was the sort of rebellion young children and teenagers commonly possess, but I had it with this specific genre, almost like a personal vendetta for its melancholy nature and courage.

Maybe it was the polemical narratives routinely defined in the genre, or the natural immersion it offers, or perhaps its characterization of an older generation that didn’t reflect my youth. After being exposed to the genre my entire life, a passed-down family lineage that I never enjoyed, I traded the denial for cowboy boots and listened to Morgan Wallen’s version of country. 

Wallen breaks any and all conventional methods of country music; it is a feat dignified of a real artist, not a performer. A singer “performs” when there is a facade that needs to be carried out, but most importantly, to show the audience certain aspects of a branded persona. 

However, in Wallen’s “Still the Problem Tour” stop at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, there was nothing to perform about, no necessity to convince people to buy into the “show” because there was no need for such a spectacle when the lyrics engineered in his tracks spoke for themselves. Songs like “I Got Better” and “Heartless” sparked incomparable emotion in couples across the stadium. 

It wasn’t a standalone moment either — this was seen throughout the evening, with the audience living in the moment by taking every word to heart.

Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media; Photos by David Forehand

“People looked up at the screen, they sang to each other, but there wasn’t a phone in sight.” said Bethany Smoller, concert attendee.

For once, it was like turning back in time; I saw people enjoying music, enjoying song, enjoying themselves. 

And Wallen is aware of this — it’s expressed through his catchphrase “thank yew” after every single song. He understands the weight carried in his lyrics, not only for himself as a conveyer of the messages preceding them, but through the significance of people listening to them. 

As the evening progressed, there were pivotal moments reassuring his composition as not only an artist, but a human being. In a stadium with 72,000 capacity, Wallen took to sections of the stage to sing especially for the groups in that specific area. 

“He just wanted the music to surround the stadium. It wasn’t about people staring at him — it was about people really listening,” said Smoller. 

Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media; Photos by David Forehand

With admirability, he proves that there is no need to perform to earn your bread and butter. In other genres, audiences could have a hard time comprehending how a single artist has achieved such success. 

And to those people — one of whom I used to be — I say go to a Morgan Wallen concert. It might be the first concert you attend that isn't performative. 

“He wants people to enjoy not Morgan, but his art,” said Smoller. 

It’s through that structure that Wallen has now set the standard in the country genre. 

Fundamentally changing the genre’s DNA in staying grounded in his person, he portrays a “you like it, good — you don’t like it, also good” attitude. 

Additionally, as in Wallen’s true nature, he characterized himself by removing his own spotlight. He highlighted his band, such as with drummer Mark “Taco” Annino's solo moment. 

After encores, you often don’t even see the artist leaving because they are getting right out of there.

But this is not the case with Wallen; as the crowd slowly exited the venue and the lights flashed bright fluorescent, he stayed for an hour and a half talking to thousands, taking photos and signing autographs. 

Wallen successfully managed to create an equation miles above what has notoriously classified country music. Those in attendance are able to clearly see his raw, personable attitude on the stage, but might have a hard time understanding the depth fueling the why. 

This poses the question of how long Wallen’s fame will hold true to this dynamic; yes, there is a fundamental aspect that goes into his music and then into a stadium concert, but when does his music end and Wallen begin? 

Wallen offers value to the entertainment industry; the thing is, the content that makes up that value has not been made clear to a broader public.