Mickey Guyton Is TIME's 2022 Breakthrough Artist of the Year

Mickey Guyton was the country singer who performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl and hosted PBS's July 4 celebration from the Capitol lawn. She is the first black nominee in the history of the award.

Guyton collaborated with LeAnn Rimes on her new song, "the wild." It was emotional for both of us to hear her sing and see her overcome so much oppression. Mickey coming into her own authenticity as a country artist, speaking from her heart and spirit, and pushing against the tide of conventionality is what country music needs to always be about.

Guyton faced a lot of resistance, from her music being played on country radio to conversations she tried to hold about race with industry leaders. She says that she is afraid of it going back to your regular programming.

Guyton talked about her growth and frustration in an interview with Time.

When you walked into SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to sing the national anthem for more than 110 million Super Bowl viewers, what was going through your head?

I have never been so nervous. I was about to give birth for the first time or I was going to marry the wrong guy.

It is really difficult with what is happening in this country. I wanted to show my respect for the anthem. It was important to show what I thought America was. The person we chose had a disability.

You performed in many iconic spaces this year, including at A Capitol Fourth and onstage with Metallica and the Nashville Symphony. What does it mean to enter spaces that haven’t welcomed many people who look and sound like you?

It's so important to me. It is a heavy load. I received a lot of feedback after 2020. It was frightening for me. When I walk into these spaces, I have a little bit of fear. It has been wonderful so far.

In the summer of 2020, you released the song “Black Like Me,” a searing condemnation of racial inequality. How do you think it changed, or didn’t change, race dynamics in country music?

I had a lot of country artists reach out to me, wanting to know how they could be more of an ally and what they could do to help. They began to find musicians of color for their bands. You can see Elizabeth Chan at country-music award shows. There are a lot of Black country artists who love the genre but don't think there is a place for them in Nashville. The country music charts are against women and people of color.

Black artists helped build country music, but it left the scene.

All of the Nos. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart this year were performed by white men.

Yes, that's right. It's hard. We are accepting the crumbs because there are so many amazing singers out there. Some of you have daughters, I think to myself.

I took a break from social media because I had to protect my peace. People are upset when you mention it. They don't want to hear it. These are people's jobs that you're choosing. Give your audience more credit.

It does feel like many of the changes forged in the summer of 2020 around race were reversed, with Black books and histories being banned across the country. What do you make of those patterns?

Sometimes it feels like everything is gone. The year before, there was a lot of inclusion. There could be a black person on the awards show. Breland was nominated for his work with Dierks and HARDY. That is in one place.

How do you deal with it?

If there is an artist of color that I think is exceptional, I will immediately call my record label and let them know. Continue to mention people's names that may have never gotten that chance, that's all you can do You can make great music in these moments.

What is the significance of your new song “I Still Pray”?

The shooting at the grocery store in Buffalo made me write this song. It affected me so much. With everything happening and two shootings happening in the same week, this song is important to me. I don't have the ability to be angry anymore because it's so tiring. Whoever you are, please help us now. We need it, that's the reason.

You collaborated with one of your idols, LeAnn Rimes, on her song “the wild.” What did you learn from her?

She's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet. The industry turned its back on her when she made her own decisions. A male in country music could have a successful career. I thought there was a fire in her. There is a plate of food in front of me. She makes you feel good.

How has motherhood informed your creative process?

Having a child has changed my perspective on everything. He is going to continue on when I am gone. I think a lot about that in my writing. Love is what I am surrounded by in the end.

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