Mickey Guyton Opens Up About Paving Her Way in the Country Music Industry

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Shania Twain, Cher, LeAnn Rimes — just a few of the female artists who have paved their way into the music industry with their unapologetic attitude and empowering lyrics. Now, it's time to add country singer Mickey Guyton to that ever-growing list.

The "Remember Her Name" singer recently teamed up with Spotify to support their EQUAL program that aims to combat gender disparity in the music industry by amplifying the variety of work women creators have shared around the world. In support of uplifting the next generation of female artists to pursue their dreams, regardless of any obstacles, Country Living caught up with the Grammy-nominated singer to chat about being a female creative in a male-dominated industry, her support system as she catapults farther into her successful career, and even who she would tap if she were to form her dream girl group (the lineup may surprise you!).

On being true to herself:

Since releasing her debut EP Unbreakable in 2015, Mickey let her music speak for itself without straying away from her authentic self in hopes to appeal to more people —something many successful female artists have utilized to build their fanbase. "Always walk into any room and be your true, authentic self. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," she advised.

On being a woman of color in the country music industry:

With songs like "Black Like Me" and "All American," Mickey has always been true to her roots through songwriting. As not only a woman in a male-dominated industry, but also a woman of color, we were curious to know how her experience of breaking into the industry shaped who she was as the artist that she is today. "My journey of getting where I am today has not been an easy one. Being in the country music industry, I’m often the only woman of color in the room and had to learn to navigate that early in my career," she shared.

As one of the 400 ambassadors for Spotify's EQUAL program along with Shania Twain, Avril Lavigne, and more, Mickey encourages all creators to "just show up." "Be bold, make that move you're scared of making, and always stay true to yourself," she continued. "I know that there is still a lot of work to be done to combat gender disparity in the music industry but with programs like EQUAL, having Spotify’s help in magnifying voices like mine makes all the difference."

On how her family plays an important role:

Mickey admitted that even with her success, her career can get hard sometimes and that's when she leans on her favorite support system: her family. Her husband Grant and son Grayson "remind [her] why it's important to keep marching on." "I show up for little girls who look like me and need to know there’s space for them in country music. I’m a big believer in 'if you see it, you can be it'," she exclaimed.

Even with strong support from family, what's really special is having a group of supporting women around her. We asked if she had the chance to form a dream girl group, who she'd tap. The lineup includes, LeAnn Rimes, R&B singer Monica, and singer-songwriter Sevyn Streeter "because they truly inspired me."

Now, that's a group we'd listen to any day!

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