Megan Moroney’s ‘Cloud 9’ Era Officially Takes Flight With A Dreamy Pop-Up At Raising Cane’s

Still riding high from Tuesday’s announcement of her third studio album "Cloud 9," which is out February 20, 2026, country hitmaker Megan Moroney brought her pink-tinted era home to Athens, Georgia, and The Blast was there as she celebrated with fans at the same Raising Cane’s she once frequented as a student. Joined by Raising Cane’s founder and fellow University of Georgia alum Todd Graves, the “Tennessee Orange” singer clocked in for a hands-on “shift,” serving Chicken Fingers, greeting fans, and posing for selfies in a line that wrapped around the block. Megan Moroney, now one of country music’s most-watched voices, returned to the counter with humility and heart.

Dressed head-to-toe in pink, a nod to the softer, more self-assured tone of her upcoming album, Moroney reflected on how much she’s grown as both an artist and a person since her UGA days.

“It’s amazing and humbling to be back here in Athens,” Moroney told reporters. “Every time I’m here, I’m reminded that I used to be the sorority girl singing songs in the house without anyone to listen to them, and now I’m here at the same Cane’s my friends and I would come to, celebrating the upcoming release of my third album.”

“It was really fun to create music where I’m just, like, this version of myself,” she continued. “For example, on ‘Unlucky’ or ‘Girl in the Mirror,’ I was questioning my worth. But now with songs like ‘Beautiful Things,’ I’ve lived enough life to know that I’m worth it and I can tell other people they’re worth it too.”

She described "Cloud 9" as her most confident project yet. “By the third album, you’re like, ‘Oh, we’ve been here before,’” she laughed. “I felt firmly planted in my artistry. I’ve always known who I am, but this time I had the confidence to experiment and just have fun.”

When asked to summarize the new record in one word, Moroney chose, "Empowering." "I hope the messages in these songs help my fans get through life the same way music helps me," she added.

Standing beside Moroney, Graves said the moment was emotional for him too, proof that dreams hatched in Athens can reach the big leagues.

“Megan and I both went to Georgia. This is where it all started for both of us,” he said during the press conference. “I had a dream to open a Chicken Finger restaurant, and she had a dream to be a musician. Now we’re both living our dreams. Her album even comes out on my birthday! It’s fate.”

Graves added that when Moroney pitched the idea for the UGA pop-up, he immediately said yes. “She just wanted to be here celebrating with her fans, and that’s what Cane’s is all about. Community, connection, and great Chicken Fingers.”

Moroney embraced the moment, working the drive-thru, handing out pink Cane’s hats, and signing guitars and posters for the first 100 fans in line. Between laughs and autographs, she also shared her best advice for students chasing their own dreams.

“Do it until it works. Whatever it is,” she said. “There were so many moments I wanted to give up, but you have to believe in yourself more than anyone else. Celebrate the little wins along the way.”

Graves chimed in with his own message of perseverance. “Think about how hard it will be to start that business, then multiply it by infinity, and if you’re still committed, don’t give up," he told the crowd. "If Megan or I had quit, the world wouldn’t have her music or Raising Cane’s. Believe in yourself and keep going.”

During the Q&A, Moroney teased what fans can expect from her new album and why pink felt like the perfect color to capture its heart. “Once you get to listen, you’ll understand there’s a softness to this album that hasn’t been in my others,” she explained. “It’s still strong and empowering, but there’s a gentleness in the lyrics that comes from confidence, knowing it’s okay to be soft sometimes.”

She revealed that much of "Cloud 9" was recorded in the Bahamas, a setting that inspired both peace and perspective. “A lot of the album, I sang the vocals by the ocean,” she said. “It was this calm, happy space. I’d go on the boat in the morning and record at night. That’s 'Cloud 9' for me.”

And when it came to timing, Moroney said she wanted the project to arrive after the holidays. “I didn’t want to get in the way of Christmas albums,” she admitted as the crowd laughed. “So I figured I’d wait until the new year, and I’ve got more surprises coming.”

Before leaving the stage, Moroney looked out over the cheering crowd and smiled, visibly moved.

“When I drive through downtown or past my old sorority house, I remember exactly where I started,” she said. “To come back here and celebrate 'Cloud 9' with the people who’ve been with me from day one… that’s the dream.”

Raising Cane’s continues its growing tradition of pairing country music’s biggest stars with feel-good community moments. In recent years, the brand has teamed up with Luke Bryan, Koe Wetzel, Bailey Zimmerman, and Parker McCollum, and Moroney’s Athens pop-up added a new, pink-sparkled chapter to that story.