Who Is Megan Moroney? The 'Emo Cowgirl' Who Opened the Victoria's Secret Show, With a Song That Almost Became an Ed Sheeran Duet

Before Tate McRae, KATSEYE and Megan Thee Stallion took the stage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on Sunday, one singer got the whole night started in giant pink fluffy wings. Her name is Megan Moroney, and one of the three songs she sang very nearly became an Ed Sheeran duet. If you're new here, welcome to the emo cowgirl era.

Megan Moroney Reveals What She Listens to Before Performing At the Victoria Secret Fashion Show 2026https://t.co/sOeBELAKvw

— billboard (@billboard) October 19, 2026

She opened the 2026 Victoria's Secret show

Moroney kicked off the evening at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles with "6 Months Later," the lead single from her album Cloud 9, Harper's Bazaar reports. She wore giant pink fluffy wings and silvery high heels, then followed it with "Wish I Didn't," which Bazaar calls a "signature tongue-in-cheek song aimed at a man with plenty of red flags."

Her full setlist was three songs from Cloud 9: "6 Months Later," "Wish I Didn't" and the bonus track "Sorry… I Meant Tonight," according to Just Jared. Just Jared notes she was part of an all-female music lineup with Tate McRae, KATSEYE and Megan Thee Stallion, while models walked the runway during her set.

Catch up on everything else that happened, from Adriana Lima's 21st walk to Bella Hadid's opener, in our Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2026 recap.

The stories behind the songs

Each song she picked has a story. "6 Months Later" is a breakup anthem about getting over an ex, only for them to come back when it's too late, Just Jared reports. It first came out in June 2025, and Moroney has said she wrote it on a boat.

"Wish I Didn't" is about falling for someone even though you know they break hearts, according to Just Jared. Moroney told Zane Lowe on Apple Music that a man she was dating inspired it, and that she warned him, "There will be songs," Just Jared reports. The song came out in January 2026 with a music video featuring Dylan Efron.

"Sorry… I Meant Tonight" is a playful crush song. Just Jared reports she first considered it for a collaboration with Ed Sheeran, but the two recorded "I Only Miss You" instead.

Who is the "emo cowgirl"?

Moroney is a self-described "emo cowgirl," Vanity Fair reports, and she owns it. "I'm a woman of the emo cowgirls and cowboys," she told the magazine. The nickname sums up her style: witty, heartfelt songs about love and heartbreak.

She is a Georgia native, Billboard reports.

From Nashville hopeful to No. 1

Things moved fast. Vanity Fair says she went from Nashville hopeful to one of country music's biggest stars in about three years. In 2024, Moroney landed an opening slot on Kenny Chesney's stadium tour and released her second album, Am I Okay?, Vanity Fair reports. Months later she won the Country Music Association Award for new artist of the year.

Then came Cloud 9. Her third studio album dropped on February 20, 2026, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, her first chart-topper, Billboard reports. It earned 147,000 equivalent album units in its first week, the biggest week for a country album by a woman in nearly two years, according to Billboard. Her earlier albums, Lucky and Am I Okay?, peaked at No. 38 and No. 9.

The album features collaborations with Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran, Billboard notes. Her reaction to the No. 1? "Not to be cliche but I'm on cloud 9!"

Opening the Victoria's Secret show feels like the perfect next chapter. If Sunday was your first taste of Megan Moroney, start with Cloud 9. You might just become an emo cowgirl too.