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On his massive new sophomore effort, Dangerous: The Double Album, Morgan Wallen gets honest about the ways in which his celebrity status has impacted his life.
The title track, for example, is a cautionary tale about the perils of drinking and getting into trouble. That’s a lesson that Morgan has learned first-hand, when he was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct last May in downtown Nashville.
Then there’s “Living the Dream,” a track that flat-out states that fame isn’t always everything it’s hyped up to be. In the lyrics, he describes “drinking ‘cause I need to” and repeats the song’s haunting refrain, “This living the dream is killing me.”
In a new interview with People, Morgan doesn’t mince words about the ups and downs he’s experienced. He speaks in particular about his now-infamous spree of maskless partying at the height of the pandemic, where a series of TikTok videos showed him kissing multiple women. Those antics cost him his debut performance spot on Saturday Night Live.
“It’s fun,” Wallen admits, talking about all the adulation from women he receives due to his fame. “I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t fun. It’s a high, in a way. It’s almost like I have access to a drug that a lot of people don’t have access to.
But like any drug, he says, it has its downsides. Looking back at the experience, he understands why his behavior was seen as irresponsible.
“I’m not a malicious person,” he reflects. “Just kind of…I should have been more aware.”
Fortunately, not only did Morgan learn his lesson, he ultimately got a second chance. He made his SNL debut in December, two months after his originally-planned performance.
By Carena Liptak
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