Mickey Guyton is an American artist born on June 17, 1983. In Arlington, Texas, she started becoming captivated by the idea of music when she was only five years old. Her first public performance was at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas.
Guyton’s challenges she confronted early on were fundamental in the development of her career, which is evident in her music. She faced racism, which is a traumatic experience, but as life goes on, challenges make us stronger. Her childhood experiences have been the inspiration for many of her songs, and her struggles have been the catalyst of her success.
Besides all the challenges that shaped her music, many iconic artists such as LeAnn Rime, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Patty Loveless, Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Whitney Houston, and Babe & CeCe Winans influenced the style of her music.
Mickey Guyton’s music career has been continuously elevating and changing over time. Throughout her career, she has been implementing other genres that make her music so enchanting and euphonious.
Despite the suggestion of keeping her music exclusively country, she followed her heart and incorporated other genres along with country music, such as gospel, hip hop, contemporary, and R&B.
Mickey Guyton’s Accomplishments:
She is one of the first black women signed by a major record label like Capitol Records Nashville to perform at an all-star performance at the White House.
Guyton has garnered immense success in her career. In 2015, Capitol Records Nashville released her debut single, Better Than You Let Me. Jen Schott, Jennifer Hanson, and Nathan Chapman co-wrote this song. The song was co-produced with Dana Huff. This song gained the attention of the British magazine called The Guardian.
After the first week of release, the song was record-breaking, reaching 79 ads to a radio playlist.
By July 2015, the same song had reached number 34 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. In Canada, the song reached a high spot on the Billboard country chart.
During the same year, Guyton released her self-titled second EP, which Capitol Records officially released the EP. The EP reached number 17 on the Billboard Heat-seekers in August 2015. The project was rated four stars by Queens of Country, who praised Guyton for her vocals and unique musical style.
Guyton was nominated for New Female Vocalist of the Year for the song Black Like Me. The song reached number 51 on the Academy of Country Music Awards, and following the release of Heartbreak Song, this song reached 45 on the Country Airplay.
In 2019, Guyton decided to create music that reflects the deeper aspects of her life, particularly her struggle as a black woman. At the beginning of 2020, she released What Are You Gonna Tell Her.
Around this time, she also wrote the song Black Like Me in the aftermath of the racial unrest in the United States in 2020. Black Like Me was based on a book by the journalist John Howard.
The song “Black Like Me” garnered immense attention through social media platforms and streaming services. Spotify included Black Like Me on their Hot Country Playlist.
At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Black Like Me was nominated for Best Country Solo Performance. This distinction was bestowed upon Guyton, making her the first black female artist to receive the title.
The song Black Like Me opened many doors for Guyton. She has been the first female artist to perform at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Following that recognition, Guyton released her third EP titled Bridges. This extended play featured two songs from her previous singles and her third 2020 single, Heaven Down Here.
On September 24, Guyton released Remember Her Name, her debut studio album. She described the album as a look into her teenage years living in Nashville.
Perhaps this song was one of her most fruitful works, as this song alone received three Grammy nominations. At the Grammy Awards, the song was nominated for Best Country Album, making Guyton the first black artist to get this nomination. The song also received nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance.
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