Morgan Wallen’s latest album, “One Thing At A Time,” pays tribute to his late grandmother, affectionately called Mamaw Boots, who is featured on the cover art.
The album, which was released on March 3, 2023, follows Wallen’s record-breaking sophomore project, “Dangerous: The Double Album,” and features 36 tracks produced by Joey Moi. Wallen revealed that he began building the album’s framework immediately following the release of his second studio album, cutting the tracklist down from 42 to only the ones that stuck with him.
In a recent interview, Wallen discussed the meaning behind the song “One Thing At A Time,” claiming that the words, melodies, and even the order of the recordings were all deliberate choices. He wanted to make an album that not only honored his deceased grandmother but also demonstrated his development as an artist.
The album’s cover art is particularly important since it pays tribute to Wallen’s late grandmother, Mamaw Boots, and displays a photo of him taken at her home. She is someone Wallen adores. The cover honors his grandma and serves as a reminder of the need of keeping anchored despite the success and the value of family.
The Allman Brothers’ “Midnight Rider” and Young Thug’s “Lifestyle” were interpolated on the tracks “Everything I Love” and “180 (Lifestyle),” respectively. Wallen claims that despite the album’s lengthy tracklist, he experimented with different sounds and different things he likes. He also worked on the stirring song “Mom, I’m Coming Home” with Miranda Lambert, a celebrity in the country music industry.
Wallen’s love for hip-hop is evident throughout the album, which features nine to ten tracks that heavily lean into that style. By including all the music he loves, Wallen feels a sense of freedom to do things that he may have been tentative to do in the past, resulting in an album that is intentionally organized but bursting with variations in style and tone.
This album has been eagerly awaited by fans of both country and hip-hop due to Wallen’s ability to experiment with many sounds and styles. With its deliberate order and burstiness, “One Thing At A Time” is a testament to Wallen’s craftsmanship and his capacity to push limits while being loyal to himself.
You will not be surprised that “One Thing At A Time,” stands out as a unique and thoughtful body of work and it continues to top the charts and set records. The new album reflects Wallen’s growth as an artist and shows how willing he is to take chances and experiment with different sounds.
“One Thing At A Time” is a complex and multidimensional music album with lyrics and music that embody both confusion and burstiness. That is evidence of Wallen’s craftsmanship and originality.