Morgan Wallen on How His Relationship with His Dad Has Improved: “I Was a Pretty Hard Kid to Deal With”

While chatting to Kelleigh Bannen for Apple Music, Morgan Wallen opens up about how his relationship with his father, Tommy Wallen, has improved as he's gotten older.

Wallen reflects on how, as he's matured, he's been able to see things through his dad's eyes, and understand where he was at fault during their clashes when he was younger.

Wallen begins by touching on the heartfelt letter his dad wrote for him as part of his I'm the Problem zine last year, “I knew he was gonna do it, but I mean, I didn't give him any direction on what to say or anything like that...He probably was caught off guard by me even asking him to do something [like that]. I've never had a book like this or anything like that for an album release, so this was something new for all of us. But you know, he has a preacher background and stuff, so he knows how to write a little bit, and he did it better than I even thought he would”.

What makes this all the more powerful is the fact that, on I'm the Problem, you can hear how Wallen's perspective has evolved over the past few albums, especially tracks like ‘Superman’, on which he explores his own role as a father to Indigo Wilder, and ‘Revelation’, a vulnerable meditation on his shortcomings as both a father and a son.

While chatting to Bannen, Wallen goes on, “You know, me and him have been really, really honest and open with each other for the last 13 years, I guess, now. Pretty much as soon as I moved out, that's when our relationship improved dramatically. So, yeah, I think he became more like my friend and advisor at that point”.

He jokes that he was somewhat of a wild child while growing up, and underlines how grateful he is that, now he's older and wiser, his relationship with his father has benefited as a result, “Yeah, I was a pretty hard kid to deal with, I ain't gonna lie - especially around high school! So I don't fault him at any point, but we figured it out”.

Now, Tommy hosts his own faith-driven channel on Morgan Wallen Radio. Meanwhile, Wallen is preparing to launch his next chapter, with his two recent singles, ‘Been By Now’ and ‘Last Thing You Need’ from GTA VI, both hinting at a more pop-infused sound.

But while Wallen and his collaborators have given us an idea of the sonic territory the ‘Love Somebody’ hitmaker will perhaps be exploring on his next studio album, we're still relatively in the dark as to what he'll be tackling thematically in this era.

Given how he's become increasingly open and candid with fans as each album has come and gone, with I'm the Problem feeling the most introspective and honest so far, we're excited to hear whether Wallen digs even deeper on his forthcoming project.

If he does, given how Wallen has never shied away from writing about real life, we imagine his friendship with his father will again serve as a key muse for his eagerly awaited fifth album. Every new project from Wallen feels like a step forward, both in terms of the stylistic experimentation and the lyrical depth, and we can't wait to hear what he has up his sleeve for his I'm the Problem follow-up album.