Mickey Guyton is a groundbreaking superstar who made it in the world of country music, as a Black woman. But Media Take Out learned that Mickey wasn’t always the confident woman that she is these days.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 38-year-old country singer shared a photo from the early days of her career along with a photo of her now. In the more recent picture, she is visibly glowing and she used the caption to open up about her struggles with loving herself, particularly in an industry dominated by white artists.
“The girl I was then wanted so badly to be liked,” she wrote. “I wanted so badly to be included and to fit in. There were times when I wished I had lighter skin and blue eyes. But the woman I am now loves everything that makes me different. The woman I am now loves my coils and my lacefronts wigs and my dark brown skin. The woman I am now doesn’t want to fit in. I want to fit out. #Different”
Embed from Getty ImagesMickey is an American country music artist. Raised in Texas, Guyton was exposed to various types of music at a young age, and her material incorporates elements of contemporary country and R&B music. She moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2011 and signed a recording contract with Capitol Records Nashville. In 2015, the label released Guyton’s debut extended play (EP), Unbreakable.
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 2015, Capitol released her debut single, titled “Better Than You Left Me”. The song reached number 34 on the US Country Airplay chart and earned her a nomination from the Academy of Country Music Awards. The same year, her second self-titled EP was released. In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement, Guyton released the single “Black Like Me”, which speaks to her experiences as a Black woman in country music. The song helped further elevate Guyton’s career and resulted in her first ever nomination at the Grammy Awards, becoming the first Black woman to ever be nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance category. Later that year, her third extended play Bridges was released. She then collaborated with Dean Brody on the song “Boys” which made her the first Black woman to achieve a number one hit on the Canada Country chart. Her debut album Remember Her Name followed in 2021. Guyton’s music is defined by country, pop, and R&B influences.
