alaskaadmin, Author at Alaska First Media

Megan Moroney recently returned to Athens, GA, where she once pulled all-nighters, chased big dreams, and frequently hit the Raising Cane’s drive-thru during her college days at University of Georgia. But this time, the trip didn’t include a late-night chicken run, instead it was a full-circle moment celebrating the announcement of her forthcoming Cloud 9 album.

In honor of her new pink era, the Raising Cane’s Athens location transformed the restaurant into a full-on “Cloud 9” takeover, decked out in pink, sparkles, and all the glam that comes with Moroney’s next chapter. Hundreds of fans packed the parking lot with less than 24 hour’s notice, some even driving as long as six hours to be among the first in line to see the songstress.

Megan Moroney; Photo Courtesy of Raising Cane’s

Moroney took the time to take selfies, sign autographs on merch, and dish out some Raising Cane’s gift cards. Those who didn’t make it inside to receive the special gift still got to experience how much the country star cares for her fanbase when she stepped out front alongside Cane’s founder and fellow UGA alum, Todd Graves. Together, they discussed chasing their goals, and shared a few words of encouragement with the crowd, which included plenty of UGA students hoping to follow their own dreams.

@countrynow.com @Megan Moroney and @Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves prove to students that the dreams you have in college can take you farther than you think.🙌🫶 #meganmoroney #raisingcanes #athens #countrymusic #toddgraves ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com

“Megan and I both went here and I had a dream to start a chicken figure restaurant. She had a dream of being a country music singer and both started here,” Graves told Country Now and other outlets. “And then she opened up for Chase Rice down the Georgia Theater, which is legendary. So it’s fun coming back to a place where you had dreams and to have fans years later. Just really special.”

Moroney added, “Anytime I come here and I drive through downtown or down Millage [Ave.], I’m just reminded that I used to be the sorority girl who would just make up songs in my sorority house and didn’t have anybody to listen to ’em at the time, really. So to now it’s just humbling to be back and anytime even when I announced ‘beautiful things,’ we made an event out of it. I love seeing my fans face to face and getting to interact with them as much as I can cause I know that they’ve fueled this entire thing. I don’t get to play shows unless they show up and they certainly show up.”

Todd Graves, Megan Moroney; Photo Courtesy of Raising Cane’s

From conversations about following your path to laughing about life in Athens, the whole afternoon felt like an unforgettable homecoming moment, perfectly timed the day before the Georgia vs. Texas game. Moroney even reflected on her college days, noting how her love for Raising Cane’s truly began when she was living within walking distance and would enjoy many meals in the same exact location alongside some of her closest friends to this day.

“When I started my career, one of my dream brands to work with was Cane’s so this feels really full circle,” she shared.

But the country star didn’t just stop by to talk to fans, she clocked in. Donning her all-pink ensemble, complete with a matching Raising Cane’s hat, Moroney tried her hand at a true “shift” at the restaurant chain, hopping behind the drive-thru window and the front counter to dish out some Box Combos to a few lucky customers.

Megan Moroney; Photo Courtesy of Raising Cane’s

Later on, she shot scripted content with Graves, joining a long list of country acts that have teamed up with the restaurant chain to celebrate major career events. Over the past few years, Raising Cane’s has partnered with stars including Luke Bryan, Koe Wetzel, Bailey Zimmerman and Parker McCollum for surprise Restaurant “shifts,” fan pop-ups and special events that celebrate their chart-topping success. With each collaboration, Raising Cane’s gets the chance to highlight the power of a dream and unite music lovers with chicken-finger fans.

Megan Moroney; Photo Courtesy of Raising Cane’s

Now, Moroney heading back to Nashville for what’s shaping up to be a huge week. She is entering the 2025 CMA Awards as a six-time nominee and will also take the stage during the live broadcast. Fans can catch the show on ABC on Wednesday, November 19, live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, with next-day streaming on Hulu.

Her highly anticipated project, Cloud 9, will arrive on February 20, 2026. While the official track list has yet to be revealed, two songs are confirmed: her rising Top 10 hit “6 Months Later,” and “Beautiful Things.” The latter recently arrived at country radio with 69 first-week adds, making it one of the most-added songs on impact.

Megan Moroney – Cloud 9; Art & Creative Director: Cece Dawson Photo Credit: Amber Asaly

Speaking on the project during yesterday’s event, the “Am I Okay?” singer admitted she feels more confident and proud of these songs than ever before. Fans can expect to find a bit more “softness” amid the lyrics, alongside her usual “strong” and “empowering spirit,” and she teased there could be a surprise collaboration (or two) joining the track list.

“I feel like I’ve lived enough life and grown up enough to where not only do I feel qualified to tell myself you are worth it. I feel qualified to tell other people, you’re worth it too, and just understand your worth,” she explained. “[And] I think it’s just me growing up a little bit and my feet feel firmly planted in my artistry. I’ve always known who I am, but even more so when you do two studio albums by the third one, you’re like, oh, we’ve been here before. So it was really fun to have that confidence in the studio and in the writer’s rooms and just kind of experiment a little bit.”

Athens has always been part of Megan Moroney’s story, and on this day with Raising Cane’s, she got to come home and celebrate just how far those college-town dreams have taken her.

The post Megan Moroney Returns To Georgia For A Full-Circle ‘Cloud 9’ Celebration With Raising Cane’s appeared first on Country Now.

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