Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, Tigirlily Gold discuss 2024 ACM nominations

The 2024 Academy of Country Music award nominations have been released.

Most notably, Luke Combs or Lainey Wilson can achieve unprecedented success as recipients of Entertainer, New Artist, and Best Artist honors in under a decade. However, that's not the only storyline to watch on Amazon Prime on May 16.

Artists like Megan Moroney, the overall most nominated female performer, and first-time nominees Tigirlily Gold (for Best New Duo or Group), could ascend into the jetstream of that is popular country music. And Jelly Roll, a first-time nominee up for Entertainer of the Year, could further cement his his place as a bona fide country superstar.

Megan Moroney's singing and songwriting with dazzling flair

Moroney, a Georgia native with six ACM nominations, spoke to the Tennessean while busying herself on ACM nominations day by writing new songs — the favorite of her growing professional responsibilities.

"My fans and I are building a relationship built around how the honesty and vulnerability of my songwriting and storytelling has evolved in the past two years," she said. "At my concert appearances, they even sing the least-streamed songs on my album back to me. It's all I could ever ask for."

Moroney's 2023 breakout hit "Tennessee Orange" may have been built upon a simple trope: the popularity of college football in the South. However, the songwriting on tunes like "Lucky" album songs "Girl In The Mirror" and "I'm Not Pretty" more deeply represent self-doubt and internalized antagonism.

For two decades, country music's leading women have poured kerosene on so many taillight-busted automobiles. Moroney isn't averse to music with an edge, but she also offers a softer side.

"I mean, Miranda Lambert had 'Kerosene,' but like me, she wasn't afraid to get a little 'emo cowgirl' sometimes, too," said Moroney. She cited Lambert's 2007 single "More Like Her," showing her that "it's great to be tough, but it's okay to be sad sometimes, too."

Tigirlily Gold stays focused on evolving in time with country's growth

For Tigirlily Gold (sisters Kendra and Krista Slabaugh of Hazen, North Dakota), the ability to appear perpetually busy and work well within all of country music's most beloved traditions is finally paying dividends. Lately, the Best New Duo or Group award nominees seem to be anywhere a red carpet, stage, or television camera is located, in Nashville or otherwise.

They're small-town-born, honky-tonk loving tequila drinkers who, 13 years into working in Music City's country music community, still haven't changed their phone numbers' North Dakota area codes.

They've also built their success on playing covers of songs like Garth Brooks' "Friends In Low Places," Old Crow Medicine Show's "Wagon Wheel," Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird," and Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like A Woman" at spaces like Lower Broadway's Whiskey Row.

Now, their original songs like "Shoot Tequila" are on the lips of artists like Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood.

"We love how [being nominated] reflects how we're maturing in the country music artist community," said Kendra Slabaugh. Being loved by artists we'll always appreciate as fans—and now receiving honors similar to those they achieved—is as amazing as it is inspiring," adds Krista Slabaugh.

Even if they're not victorious on May 16, the sisters Slabaugh are an emerging act developing traits built around repetitions in superstardom's shadow. For Kendra Slabaugh, nominations on stages like the ACM Awards only heighten the expectation of something more.

"It's cool to have the country music community recognize that we're doing a great job and are worthy of much more."

Jelly Roll's continuing explosive success

In the past eighteen months, Jelly Roll has emerged from being your favorite music critic's favorite indie trap-rapper into a mainstream country crooner with well over a dozen awards on his mantle and the ability to sell out amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums.

The Antioch native and "I Need A Favor" performer spoke to The Tennessean between a day that saw him talk with CBS' Gayle King in the morning and appear with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on ABC's American Idol in the evening.

He's no longer a "least anticipated to most wanted" success story. He's a mainstream star growing comfortable in America's homes and deserving of superlative honors.

"It's unbelievable. My music has grown at a similar rate to my message and anyone who believed that my career would be something where I would be famous for only 15 minutes has been proven wrong," he said. "I have staying power and the ability to make broader and bigger cultural and musical splashes than I already have."

That does not deter him from championing the country music community.

Jelly Roll paused and laughed when recalling a moment backstage at the iHeartMusic Awards.

When he crossed paths with diamond-selling R&B superstar SZA, she interrupted her 20-person entourage and approached him.

"You don't know how much [the music industry and fans overall] love you. Your spirit is changing people in society. We're cheering for you," Jelly Roll recalled her telling him.

"People are pouring their energy into me, which just makes the power of the moment that country music... is having mean that much more," he said.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jelly Roll, Megan Moroney, Tigirlily Gold discuss 2024 ACM Nominations