Mickey Guyton Says the Most Important Thing Is Standing Up for Yourself

Mickey Guyton knows the rules of the game all too well. For years, the Arlington native has put her heart and soul into her musical craft while opening the doors for a new generation of artists. But her groundbreaking musical journey didn’t come without its setbacks.

Guyton, 41, signed a deal with Capitol Records Nashville in 2011, but it took 10 years for her debut album — 2021’s Remember Her Name — to come to fruition. She lays the story out on the record, detailing the racism she faced growing up, as well as the backlash she’s faced in the industry. Songs like “Black Like Me” and “What Are You Going to Tell Her?” detail the struggles of navigating a white male-dominated landscape and highlight the hurdles Black women face on a day-to-day basis.

Her latest album, 2024’s House of Fire, centers joy and love, notably on songs like “Here With You,” “Nothing Compares to You,” and “Little Man,” taking inspiration from her husband Grant Savoy and their son.

Refusing to let her voice go unheard, Guyton has quickly become one of the most recognizable names in country music and is continuing to pave the way for other artists of color. Before the 60th Annual ACM Awards on May 8, we met with Guyton at the I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion brunch, of which she was the host and one of the honorees. She said she was “running on four hours of sleep,” but the results of her labor have proven to be worth all the while.

You’re originally from Arlington. What are some of your fondest memories of growing up in North Texas?
Cowboys [Dancehall]. I loved Cowboys. When it closed, I was so devastated, and I've been mentioning it to a lot of people — somebody has to reopen Cowboys. It's such an injustice that it closed at the time that it did.

How are you enjoying being back in Texas for the ACMs?
I love being back in Texas. As soon as I flew in, I called my Dad like, 'Hey, I'm gonna be out here for the ACMs.' My family lives in Mansfield, so he went [to the airport], and picked me and my son up. It’s nice to be home. It just feels good.

You are one of the 2025 honorees for I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion. First, congratulations! Secondly, what does this represent to you?
Charley Pride was the blueprint, and he worked so that many artists of color and Black artists could participate in the genre. He set up so much for us, and it's just so great to be able to honor him and have an award ceremony like this.

I really love your latest album, House on Fire. It’s a very joyful album. After coming out with a powerful, politically-charged record like Remember Her Name, what did you do to tap into that liberating range of emotions?
I was actually writing that story before I wrote my first album. I was writing about my relationship and about my husband. There's so much going on in the world, and you have to find what gives you joy. My husband and my relationship brings me joy, and also my son. My household is very healthy and loving.

You’ve long been a champion for women, even collaborating primarily with women songwriters. Who are some women in music that currently inspire you?
Rissi Palmer is someone who inspires me. Cameo Carlson, my manager, who also owns [artist management firm] mtheory, started a program called Equal Access that provides grants for underserved communities, whether BIPOC or LGBTQ+, and they give grants to these artists so that they're able to record music and have the opportunity to pursue country music. It's such a beautiful program.

You’ve been in the industry for almost two decades. What would you say is the most important thing you’ve learned?
I would say the most important thing that I've learned is to stand up for yourself. Closed mouths don't get fed. Put yourself first.

What advice can you give to up-and-coming artists?
When you're an up-and-coming artist, there are people who are always gonna be at the outset that try to interpret who you are and probably try to change you and change the artist that you envision for yourself. And all I have to say is to trust your gut. [British singer] Estelle told me that you must trust your gut because it's 100% correct.

The country's landscape is more diverse than ever. But of course, there’s always room for improvement on the industry side of things. What do you envision for the future of country music?
More tours. More massive tours that are headlined by Black artists, Latino artists and Asian artists. I think that will be so transforming and revolutionary for this genre.

You’ve been really busy lately with your album, the Variety Power of Women event in Nashville and now the ACMs. What else have you been up to? Are you currently at work on your next album, or are you enjoying the fruits of your labor?
Christmas. That’s what I’m working on. You can never get too far ahead on Christmas.