"She Just Doesn't Miss:" Acclaimed Songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon Gushes on Megan Moroney & Her Forthcoming Album, Cloud 9
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Earlier this month, country megastar Megan Moroney finally unveiled her highly-anticipated third studio album, Cloud 9.
Set for release February 20, 2026, the record is expected to feature already-released tunes like 'You Had To Be There’ with Kenny Chesney, ‘Beautiful Things’ and ’6 Months Later,’ as well as a bevy of others that will be unveiled in the coming months.
Ahead of the album's announcement, Holler caught up with decorated songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon, who wasted no opportunity to gush on the Georgia hitmaker who she's frequently had the pleasure of collaborating with over the last few years.
"Megan is my absolute dog, Dillon shares with a smile. "She is, bar none, one of the best artists I've ever had the pleasure of working with. She's so dialed into her heart, her brand and her fans. We have the best time and every time we write together, whether she records it or not, it's always a good song."
Doting on her talents as more than just an entertainer, Dillon adds, "She's an incredible writer as much as she is an artist. She's someone that I hope I work with like until we both hang it up because I think we see songs similarly and we're very similar people, too. She's someone that I just absolutely love."
Throughout her storied career, which has seen her pen some of the biggest and most memorable songs in modern country music, Dillon has notched eight No. 1 singles at country radio, writing sessions with the who's who of the genre and countless award nominations, ranging from Grammys, ACMs, AIMP Nashville Awards and, most recently, her very first CMA. In just a few short years, she's penned chart-topping songs and modern classics for Cole Swindell,' Old Dominion, Jelly Roll, Tyler Hubbard, Morgan Wallen, Russell Dickerson, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Keith Urban, Maren Morris, Post Malone, HARDY, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw and countless others as she's become one of the ultimate chameleons in country music.
Ranging from heartfelt, vulnerable ballads to in-your-face, arena ready rompers, Dillon's golden pen has cut deep, especially on Moroney's 2026 album, which has Dillon's fingerprints all over it.
"I love so many of the songs that we've been doing, and it's her best shit ever," Dillon offers of Cloud 9. "Her brain is wired in such an interesting way. I asked her one day on the bus if the planning and scheming comes to her in the same way that song ideas come to songwriters–like you're doing something else and all of a sudden it's like a light bulb. I don't know if that's because she was a marketing major but she's a beast. She just doesn't miss."
Highlighting their working relationship, Dillon shares, "Her and I are similar because if I have something going on in my love life, even if it's not good, I definitely write about it and get so many like ideas from it. She's very much that way, too. We can definitely write when it's a desert, but it's just fun if we both have something going on to draw from."
Over the last several months, Moroney has hinted that Cloud 9 brings with it much more joy than we've heard on her first two albums. In an official statement, the 'I'm Not Pretty' singer notes, “I am so excited for my fans and I to dive into this new world of Cloud 9 together. Similar to the first two albums, it’s all written about honest, personal experiences, but these songs were written by the strongest, most confident version of myself I’ve ever been." She adds, "My feet feel firmly planted in my artistry and it was fun to play around sonically, while still sticking to my roots of what my fans and I love. Cloud 9 is a state of mind, and I have no doubt this will be the best chapter yet.”
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