Mickey Guyton on Family, Freedom and Finding Her Voice

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In the early hours of morning, China time, we reach out to Mickey Guyton, who is in China to participate in Singer 2025, a highly-rated singing contest broadcasted on Hunan TV.

Despite the significant 13-hour time gap, the Nashville dynamo remains undeterred, radiating optimism over her Asian adventure via phone calls. She’s exhilarated by the region’s climate, noting its beneficial impact on her skin, and is captivated by the respect Chinese culture shows towards children and the elderly.

Moreover, “You could take an evening stroll without fear of abduction!” the country artist expresses enthusiastically in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly.

Ever since Guyton, aged 42, released her impactful single “Black Like Me” in 2020, life has been a rollercoaster ride. This emotional yet poignant ballad about experiencing racial estrangement turned out to be the meaningful connection she had been seeking amidst a decade of being less recognized.

In 2021, she became the first Black woman in the country music genre to receive a Grammy nomination. Incredibly, only five weeks after welcoming her son Grayson into the world, she took the stage as a Grammy performer for the very first time. This made her the inaugural Black female artist to perform at the Grammys within the country category.

Lately, Guyton released her critically acclaimed second album titled “House on Fire” in 2024, wrapped up a successful 22-city tour, and even shared the stage with musical powerhouses ranging from Metallica to Sheryl Crow.

“You could feel the whole room change when she sang,” Crow said.

In addition to being a guiding light, Guyton has also been an inspiration for other musicians. When fellow Texan BeyoncĂ© unveiled her genre-blending country album, “Cowboy Carter,” last year, she expressed gratitude by sending Guyton an extravagant bouquet of flowers with a heartfelt note that read: “Mickey, thank you for paving the way for me, queen. Continue to shine brightly. Sincerely, BeyoncĂ©.

In a genre known for tradition, Maddie & Tae fearlessly express their emotions without backing down. As she puts it to Us magazine, “I’ve received both acclaim and criticism,” but she doesn’t regret standing by her heartfelt convictions. She explains, “I wasn’t deliberately being a campaigner, but I think empathy is essential for activism because it allows you to feel so deeply.

Regarding her affection for her nation, Guyton expressed her thankfulness through her harmonious anthem “All American.” Moreover, she remains thoughtful as we approach Black Music Month and the approaching Independence Day celebration on July 4th.

She expresses that she’s truly experiencing her American dream, as stated in the ‘Us Country Stars Celebrate America’ issue. Through diligent work with her husband, a lawyer named Grant Savoy, they’ve reached their goals – owning a home in Nashville and residing in a caring community. Yet, her compassionate nature is also aware of many people who are still struggling.

Despite being recognized as an innovative figure, Guyton prefers traditional celebrations for Independence Day. She’s immersing her 4-year-old son Grayson in a true Texas experience by sharing with him her cherished recipes from her childhood in the Longhorn State.

From our Black household, we’d often prepare that delightful fruit salad with whipped cream and marshmallows, she notes. A blueberry pie or cherry pie is essential for us. My mom and I have a fantastic recipe we call Blueberry Delight. It’s truly exceptional!

Among the must-haves on my list, I can’t skip over the tantalizing wings and the dearest of all classics, my Texas Firecrackers. These are simply saltines coated with a zesty blend of spices and ranch dressing seasoning.

Or:

When it comes to the menu, there are some staples I can’t ignore – those being the mouthwatering wings and my all-time favorite, the Texas Firecrackers. These are just saltines sprinkled with a zesty spice mix and ranch dressing seasoning.

“That’s definitely a southern thing,” she says, laughing.

Meanwhile, Guyton is at work on her next project — a Christmas album with all original material.

She’s expressing that we’re composing new tunes, which are unfamiliar to you, and she’s quite thrilled about it. We share her enthusiasm!

For more on Guyton, pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.

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2025-06-27 04:06