UMG Recordings

Release Date: October 14th 2022

Reviewed by: Joshua Andre

Kylie Morgan– Songs To Say I Do (Amazon mp3/iTunes)

Track Listing:

1. Fireworks
2. Good Hands
3. Bridesmaids
4. Always Been You
5. That’s My Man

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. In times of the ever-present COVID-19 and the most recent new wave of the Omicron variant sweeping the world (even though right now, COVID-19 isn’t that publicised that much in the media- because most of us have had many doses of vaccinations!); we all still need encouragement, inspiration, and assurances that we’ll be ok, and that people are by our sides no matter what. We all need hope, and something to cling onto. We all need to be provided with media that challenges us but also delivers positivity and optimism. I’ve lately found that positivity and optimism… in country music, and the sheer vulnerability, honesty and raw emotion found in a number of songs and albums I have listened to and reviewed in the past. It’s not that the hope and emotion aren’t present within other music genres- it’s just that I’ve heard it more in country albums. Which brings me to an artist and project that has tugged at my heart and buried its way into my head for all the right reasons- within the past week. This sense of realness and vulnerability is all the more apparent in up-and-coming artist Kylie Morgan’s third EP Songs To Say I Do; and it is Kylie’s EP that has resonated and hit hard of late- it is inspired by her postponed marriage to fellow musician Jay Allen, as the nuptials were placed on hold due to Hurricane Ian.

I was first introduced to Kylie’s music from my home Youtube page while I was listening to other country artists, blogging about them, and reviewing their albums; but after I heard “Break Things” in 2021, I was hooked. Kylie’s debut project released last year (and we reviewed it here!), and for those of you who are on the fence about the country genre, I reckon Love, Kylie is a best place to start- and from there you can check out P.S. I reviewed P.S. a few months ago; and I guarantee that you’ll find something to cheer about from these heartfelt songs in both EP’s. But for now, let’s dive into this new EP full of love songs for your partner or maybe songs for your friends and family; and let us remember that communion with people and being in fellowship and community with the ones your care about- is a beautiful thing indeed!

I was the girl who swore, she would never get married. I felt that I was always forced to choose between my relationship and my dreams. Until I met Jay Allen. He inspired every track for our special day. This project takes you from the moment we met, him asking my dad for my hand, me asking my girls to stand by my side, the song I wrote to sing to Jay on our wedding day, and ending with honey vibes. Even though, our day was cancelled due to the hurricane, I hope that this project brings love & light in a sad time. For me, it’s never been about “a day” but the “forever” with my person.

Oct 1, 2022, was supposed to look a little different for us today. 😢 For those of you haven’t seen our posts, our wedding venue as well as so many of our family and friends homes were destroyed due to the hurricane. We never imagined over a year and a half of waiting & planning for this day would turn into us just heartbroken. But not for us, for our beach. Fort Myers Beach has been our home away from home for years. As we travel there every Easter & multiple other times, to spend time with our friends who have become our family. Please take a moment today, to send up a prayer, call someone you love, and hold on tight to your person… I know that’s what jay and I will be doing. If I’ve learned anything, a day is just a day. We will get our love story and beautiful wedding someday soon.

With Kylie’s debut EP being full of fun, joy, inspiration, honesty, and immense power; P.S. follows in the footsteps of Kylie’s debut project, and the EP doesn’t put a step wrong. In contrast, Songs To Say I Do aren’t ‘country’ in the traditional sense, but they do invoke heartfelt emotion, as the heartfelt ballads hit us in our hearts and remind us to always cherish our loved ones and spend time with the people we value the most. Opening with the emotional, moving, and reflective piano ballad “Fireworks”, we are met with a poignant and relevant melody, where Kylie imparts to us that just because she has had her heart broken many times, doesn’t mean that she should give up on love. Specifically, Kylie is singing about giving her heart wholeheartedly to Jay Allen (her fiancé), with Kylie reminding us that she might have missed out on her best relationship ever if she was closed off from love because of potential heartbreak; and as Kylie reminds us in the verses that we all take chances all the time (making new friends despite some of them hurting us, swimming in the ocean even though you might have drowned), Kylie then poses a great question- why would you ever close yourself from love? A melody to dwell upon and think about as we hold our loved ones close; “Fireworks” is a moving and inspiring opener that has us all believing in the possibility of all of us finding everlasting love.

The rest of the album is quite sappy… but we need sappy love songs sometimes to remind us that getting emotional means that we’re alive and we’re human. “Good Hands”, a rather emotional piano ballad, has Kylie paying homage and a tribute to her father, outlining that her future husband is a good man and letting her father know that she’ll be safe with her future husband, that ‘…I’m in good hands when he’s holdin’ onto mine, I know who I am when I look in his eyes, and he only sees the best in me, even when it’s hard to find, he’s a good man, I’m in good hands…’; while Kylie further makes us cry and be more emotional, with the pop melody and lead viral Tiktok single “Bridesmaids”, a melody highlighting her appreciation and love for her friends and her bridesmaids who keep her grounded and loving life to the fullest. “Always Been You”, a pure love song between Kylie and Jay, is a track that I’m sure won’t leave many eyes dry- it’s an emotional and beautifully sung track about committing the rest of your life to your special someone. While Songs To Say I Do ends with “That’s My Man”, a poppy, powerful melody where Kylie gives her partner a shoutout and lets everyone in the room (and in the whole wide world) know that he is hers.

Apart from this EP, as well as Kylie’s previous EP’s P.S. and Love, Kylie; Kylie Morgan has only released a handful of singles. Her debut full length album has not been released yet. And so, there’s not that much to go on with regards to whether she will make it ‘big’ or not in the industry. But Kylie’s passion and enthusiasm for life is sure to keep her on the road to stardom, popularity, and future influence in 10+ years, I firmly believe. Of this I am convinced. And I do believe that the future is bright in country music with her recording songs- and so there’s not much for me to say other than to listen to this EP, and the rest of Kylie discography as well. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you may resonate with these songs, and deeper still with the messages the songs impart to us.

3 songs to listen to: Good Hands, Bridesmaids, Always Been You

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Maddie & Tae, Jana Kramer, Ingrid Andress, Lady A, Rascal Flatts, Lindsay Ell, Caylee Hammack