It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, superstar Megan Moroney was a college influencer attempting to break into music. Back in 2021, she frequently posted singing videos that spotlighted her genuine songwriting skills and charming voice. These clips of covers and originals have since made her a prime example of how platforms like TikTok can rapidly catapult an artist into success.
Her first single, Wonder, was released around this time four years ago on February 26th, 2021, and has since propelled her into a monumental career filled with mega hits and glittery dresses. Despite not being included on her debut EP Pistol Made of Roses, Wonder made a name for itself on its own and has remained a cult classic among fans. In a 2022 interview with Matt Burrill on his podcast Outside the Round, Moroney revealed that she originally never planned for the song to be her breakout single.
Throughout the episode, the two discuss the power of TikTok, its beneficial algorithm for promoting artists’ videos, and the intense fan demand that can come from the platform. Moroney shared that she originally posted a clip of Wonder to her account as a way to hold fans over before her intended single was released. But unsurprisingly, Wonder blew up and fans flooded the comments, demanding its release. Moroney recognized, “If I don’t put out Wonder, people are gonna be pissed off.”
She goes on to reveal that not only was she not confident in the song’s production and vocals, but she admitted that she didn’t even like the song before it was released. Scared to lose the viral momentum of the song, she admitted, “I felt really pressured when they got popular on TikTok to get them out as soon as possible.” The song’s success speaks for itself with over 45 million streams on Spotify and despite Moroney’s regrets, she too has learned to love it.
If you’re not an early diehard fan of Moroney, you might be wondering what her original debut single was supposed to be. Well, she also reveals on the podcast that the unreleased track Haven’t Met Yet was intended to be her debut to the world. The optimistic, lighthearted 2021 tune is all about imagining her future love and what their relationship will look like. With its peppy, wishful vibe, Haven’t Met Yet evokes the spirit of Taylor Swift’s early music, a fitting influence given Swift’s known impact on Moroney’s sound.
Another full circle moment in the song is the second half of the chorus opens with, “Singing our favorite Eagles record” which is reminiscent of the line “I hope the Eagles take a victory lap to Red Rocks” from Hope You’re Happy off of her most recent album Am I Okay?.
While at the time Moroney certainly felt overwhelmed by the fan-driven demand on TikTok, the pressure to release Wonder ended up working in her favor so shoutout to the overzealous commenters. Compared to Haven’t Met Yet, Wonder is a more emotional, heart-tugging track that could certainly be seen as the launch of her “emo cowgirl” persona. Although Haven’t Met Yet was released soon after, it has since been pulled from streaming services. You can listen below to what could’ve been:
Watch The Full Interview Here: